


Wanted: The Ten Dollar Founding Father

by Star_Phoenix



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Reincarnation, Angst, F/F, F/M, I should be sleeping, IT'S A RIDE KIDS, M/M, Wacky adventures to get Ham to remember!, everyone is low key pining for alex, odd attempts at humor??, other historical people have cameos!!, tell me what you want to see!, war mentions later!, what is this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-11
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2018-10-17 13:28:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 51,446
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10594977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Phoenix/pseuds/Star_Phoenix
Summary: For the past two lifetimes, Alexander Hamilton has been missing. His friends, reincarnated throughout the years, have looked for him for years. But no one could ever find him.But now, they've all ended up in the same place. One Columbia University.And apparently, one Alexander Hamilton may or may not have been found. Enter, One very confused Lin La Vega.-Or, in which the entire gang is trying to get Alexander to wake up. Through various shenanigans of course.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, okay, okay. This is the weirdest idea I've ever had. Like most people don't write fanfiction on their birthdays BUT LOOK WHAT I'M DOING.
> 
> But just for reference:  
> \- Reincarnation is NORMAL in this universe.  
> \- Characters have their birth names, ex.) "Lin La Vega" but once they had their wake up call they go by their historical name ex.) "Alexander Hamilton".  
> \- Every character has lived through multiple lives, which may or may not have a big part later in the story.  
> \- Everyone is here. British and American so expect random cameos by other historical figures. 
> 
> ALSO, a list of characters who haven't had their wake up call:  
> \- Lin La Vega = Alexander Hamilton (I literally got the last name from "In the Heights" forgive me, Lin)  
> \- George King = King George III (ha, I'm original)  
> \- Sam Shepherd = Samuel Seabury (priest/farmer in one life, shepherd in the next my dude)  
> \- Chase Lee = Charles Lee (Might actually not be a dick??)

"Two lifetimes and he still hasn't shown up," John Laurens sighed, resting his head on the desk as the others in the room gathered around him. "We've all been here two times or more and Alexander hasn't shown up once! Dear god, where is he?"

The others assembled all looked at him in various expressions, some confusion, most sadness. Laurens sat up, staring at the group assembled. They were all here, again. All of them were here and had been "authenticated" by the government, but they were still missing one person. Washington sighed and ran a hand over his face as he sat down across from Laurens, "It's been two hundred years. He has to be here, somewhere."

The Schuyler sisters and one Ms. Maria Reynolds all shared glances, a mental conversation taking place between all of the four women. It was a few moments before Peggy leaned forward, hands planted on the table. They turned to everyone else in the room, "Come on, we all met here, Columbia University of all places! If  _we_ showed up here, then Al has to be here. He's just not...where he should be."

"It was his Alma Mater." Burr supplied from the back against the glares that practically accused him of this mess being entirely his fault, "So, maybe we have to look for him! Maybe it's like a kind of..." he waved his hand as he searched for the word and then perked up when he found it, "oh! A scavenger hunt!"

Madison snorted in laughter while Jefferson shook his head, the mess of curls called his head following the motions, "Except the prize is one more annoying Federalist?" Looks were shared when they remembered Adams' large blow up when they all showed up, "Maybe it's a sign that Hamilton shouldn't even be here."

"You didn't show up the first time, either," Hercules said simply, looking up from his sewing, "but, Burr's right. We have to look for him! If he's like us, then he doesn't have his name certified so he isn't  _Alexander Hamilton_ yet, he's still whoever. We just need to wake him up!"

Lafayette leaned forward, they were fixing their ponytail and finally sighing, "But,  _mon amis_ where can we find him?  _Mon Petit Lion_ never really showed any interest in anything besides, economics and government."

"And revolution!" Peggy called out.

"And revolution." Lafayette amended, high-fiving their nonbinary pal.

Washington sat back, brow furrowed as he took the sentence into account. Finally, he snapped his fingers and grinned, teeth white and sharp. "That's it! I'm giving all of you a mission, pick up an extracurricular. Stick with it throughout the semester and if you find anyone who is like Hamilton, report back to us, "This is obviously a group effort."

Angelica, after a few moments, tossed her phone on the table. "There's a list of every extracurricular on campus. I have student council covered."

"I have the choir." Eliza offered, "And Maria and I are both in the marching band."

Too many members of the group took up Debate Club for anyone to worry about it. And that's how it went until every club and activity was taken. Now, all that was left, was for Alexander Hamilton to be found.

* * *

 

Choir, to say the least, was very eventful. There must've been at least two hundred people, all shouting, all singing various scores. It was too much. Eliza stared at the mass of people in front of her with wide eyes. It was like a tide of people had descended upon her and she could barely move without hitting someone else. Two people moved forward, she stepped back, and another shouldered her from the side. 

And she fell from the second riser with a surprised shout. 

She expected to smash into the ground, but oddly enough, someone caught her. 

"Oh dear," the man laughed, dark hair long and hanging in front of his face. Eliza blinked and flushed scarlet when those eyes met hers, "are you alright? That would've been a nasty fall."

He set her on her feet and laughed. Eliza straightened her blue shirt and pushed her dark hair from her face, "Thanks. Elizabeth Schuyler."

"Lin La Vega," He introduced with a wave, someone shouted  _Lin!_ behind them and he chuckled, "Nice, to meet you Elizabeth, but I must be going. Lee is quite pissy if I ignore him." He turned and walked into the mass of people without another word, disappearing as if he was never there.

She blinked and stood to attention as the instructor walked in and swore at the amount of people in the room. 

* * *

 

"Choir's a bust, then?" Washington asked with dry erase marker in hand as he went to cross off "choir" from the list of extracurriculars on his office wall, perks of being a teacher. 

Eliza nodded, a frown set deep on her face, "No one there even matched him, I met a few people but they were all too...not Alexander-y."

"Choir's out, then." He crossed off the word and stared at the others all gathered around. There were various looks of the degrees of despair. 

* * *

 

If Maria had to pick a thing she never imagined herself doing in all of her lives, it was Marching Band. She had played saxophone her entire life and despite hating the concept of marching all around, she was quite good at it. She frowned, looking for Eliza's dark head of hair over in the flute section but it was too late. She couldn't see her through the mass of people. She let out a sigh when she remembered that Eliza wasn't going to be here today, ladies were getting their vocal range placements. But, she didn't have too much time to dwell on that fact because all she saw was the cherry picker that the director stood on to watch formation, rise. 

"Hello, guys, gals, and nonbinary pals!" The man shouted, german accent loud and almost overbearing, "I'm your Director, Friedrick Von Steuben. And this assistant director, Lin La Vega. He'll be in charge of you when I'm not. Anyway, let's see how your high schools screwed you over,  _at attention_!"

* * *

 

Marching Band? Really?" Washington groaned, exasperated, "I thought he was definitely going to be one of the drum majors. Laurens, you do remember that time he got so angry at one of the drum boys that he took in and drummed out one of the marching beats?"

Laurens chuckled, "I always forget he did that, but you know Alexander, his way or the highway."

Washington laughed, crossing off "Marching Band" from the board.

* * *

 

Lafayette and Peggy sat tall together at the LGBT Club meeting, backs straight and ready to face criticism. But, it never came. The two looked around when they saw the people mingling in, there were a lot. But, the lead teacher of it, one Mr. Pierre-Etienne du Ponceau, sat down. He yawned, finished sending a text to someone before finally putting his attention to the rest of the club.

"Okay, we'll start by going around and saying our names, pronouns, and sexuality." He said simply, french accent light, "It's okay if you want to skip, no one is pressuring you here. I'll start and then we can go around, I'm Mr. Ponceau, Pon for short. I have he/him pronouns, and I'm am gay."

Peggy blinked when they realized they were next. "Peggy Schuyler, they/them, and pan."

And so it went. 

Until a student who had introduced himself as Sam Shepherd raised his hand. "Oh yeah, my roommate Lin is supposed to be here on Thursday. He couldn't make it today."

Mr. Pon nodded and then the meeting continued.

* * *

 

"Are you kidding me?!" Lauren howled, throwing his head back as Washington crossed off the club title, "Everyone has read those damn letters! We were gay as fu-"

"Language," Washington warned. "There are young ears here."

Lafayette and Peggy both shouted, at the same time mind you, " _We're all legal adults!_ "

* * *

 

Burr shook his head, standing with Laurens as the latter sat on a desk at the Newspaper Club. Burr sighed, shook his head and stared as the two were handed their column for the month. Burr raised an eyebrow, "Student affairs? Really?"

"Get ready for drama galore." Laurens laughed in return, "But, hey, at this rate we'll find Alexander before anyone else does!"

The Anonymous Column head was spinning in a chair-Fin? Spin? Sin? Neither of the two caught his name, as he discussed various topics to start the new school year with the Head, Benjamin Franklin. The two seemed to be quite interested in the topic of the amount of known reincarnations on campus, especially since the elder man was a known and very famous one. The other, on the other hand, was not. 

"What should we start on with student affairs?" Burr asked, deciding to actually get some work done. Maybe they could root out Alexander from this lot before it was too difficult or too late to tell.

"Orange for the president?"

"Orange for the president."

* * *

 

"Didn't he start a newspaper company?" Lafayette asked, not looking at anyone as they painted their nails a vibrant pink color. "One would think  _Mon Petit Lion_ would love to continue that on. As seeing he decided to write about his affair."

"And trash Adams." Jefferson supplied, remembering that he and James were to pick off their stop the following day. 

Madison groaned, "And don't forget fifty-one essays."

"Is someone still bitter?" Eliza laughed.

"We agreed on _twenty-five_!"

Jefferson clapped him on the shoulder and sighed, "Shut up Mr. Twenty Nine."

* * *

 

"Honestly," Angelica sighed, sewing together a hole in Peggy's yellow suit vest, "Sewing Club is the most relaxing thing I've ever been a part of. Thanks, Hercules."

Said man chuckled, taking another needle from his beanie. "No problem, Angel. So, you said Alex wasn't in Student Council? I imagined that would be the place for him to be. You know?"

"I'm starting to get worried."

"What do you mean?"

Angelica sighed, blowing a loose strand of curly hair out of her face, "Like what if he just isn't here? What if Burr killed more than just Alexander? What if he can't come back at all?"

Hercules frowned, stitching together a piece of cloth that appeared to be in semblance to a quilt. "We can't think about it like that. Burr feels guilty enough but, Alexander always shows up. He's literally what brought us all together in this lifetime. So, if he's not here," Hercules leaned forward, smiling, "I'm going to kick his ass personally when I find him."

"Ninety percent sure you'd destroy him."

"Things happen."

A shout rang up and the two turned to look at a laughing group of people. A blonde haired George King shouting about someone sewing a bright green strip of cloth to his red shirt. His roommates, Lin and Sam Shepherd, were too busy laughing as their prank. Hercules rolled his eyes, "Those three are going to be the death of us."

"Four." Angelica corrected, "Don't forget about Chase Lee."

"Oh yeah," Hercules sighed, "can't forget about him."

* * *

 

"Sewing was a bit far fetched," Madison sighed, "but dear god,  _give us a lucky break!_ " 

Washington nodded, the circles under his eyes were dark. He was thankful for his teaching assistant, one Benjamin Tallmadge, being able to sneak into student conversations without any suspicion. But, out of all of his classes, no one had turned up as a probably Alexander Hamilton Reincarnate status. It was starting to get worrying. He had found plenty of other figures, but not Hamilton.

Jefferson sighed, staring at the list of the extracurriculars all crossed out. Only a few remained and Jefferson sighed, theater club was tomorrow. "If Hamilton doesn't show up soon I'm going to personally trash everything he ever created so he has to come back out of spite."

Eliza laughed, "Will you? That'd be very helpful."

* * *

 

Theater club, to say the least, was the most terrifying place Jefferson had ever been to. There was no doubt. The stage was looming, the stage lights were burning and King's group of people were all singing an oddly beautiful rendition of a Heathers' song. Madison glanced at him and together, they both moved towards the stage where the rest of the people were sitting. Nathan Hale, the teacher in charge, was sitting in the front, watching with a look of wide-eyed wonder. 

"Isn't the theater a beautiful place?" Hale chuckled as he saw Madison and Jefferson sit down, "I mean, look at these young men. They're performing without being asked."

Madison rolled his eyes and leaned over to Jefferson, his voice low, "I feel like I've seen that one kid before."

"Which one?"

"The one singing as Veronica."

Jefferson looked up, seeing the man with his dark hair tied into a dark ponytail. He blinked, staring up at the man on stage as the man snarled out a well-memorized line, eyed wide and arms waving. Jefferson blinked and felt an odd feeling stir in his chest. He knew that feeling well. 

"Do you think?" Jefferson asked his friend, Madison's eyes were wide, all for the stranger on stage, "I think that's Hamilton."

Madison stretched up, glancing at Hale's attendance sheet and the various photos next to the name. "La Vega?"

 _"They were all villains!"_ La Vega screamed from the stage, voice reverberating around them as he shouted at the other three on stage, " _Heather, and Kurt, and Ram! And I killed them!"_

Madison blinked. "That's him."

* * *

 

"Lin?" Eliza blinked, "Lin La Vega?"

"I'm sure of it," Jefferson said, watching his phone be passed from person to person as they all stared at the video of Lin reenacting a scene from Heathers. "You know that feeling when reincarnates recognize one another? Well, I felt that."

Washington had his laptop open, checking student records as he glanced up, the profile still loading, "How do the rest of you know La Vega?"

Eliza blinked. "He's the lead tenor in Choir."

"Student director in Marching Band." Maria supplied. 

"He's Bisexual." Peggy and Lafayette supplied at the same time.

Burr frowned, "He writes the student anonymous column for the newspaper."

Angelica and Hercules shared a glance, but Hercules answered, "He was with Shepherd and King in Sewing Club."

Washington let out a sigh, "How didn't we realize? He's in Debate Club."

"He's quiet in Debate Club," Jefferson replied instantly, almost disgusted, "that ruled him out almost instantly. Washington, is his profile pulled up yet? I know he's one of the few freshmen who have their majors announced."

"If you tell anyone I showed you this I will have to kill you," Washington warned as he turned his laptop around, "no, this is breaking so many rules at the moment. None of you understand really."

Lin La Vega stared at them throught the screen, a bright smile on his face. His student information was on the screen. Name: Lin Alexander La Vega. DOB: Janurary 11th 1999. Country of Origin: Nevis. 

"Majors:" Angelica read from the file, "Theatre, Writing. Minors: Economics. You have got to be kidding me. He literally slid right from under us with the minor."

"We got him!" Lafayette stood, wide eyed and laughing as he wrapped an arm around both Laurens and Hercules. " _We got him_ _!_ The Revolutionary set is getting back together!"

Maria frowned and held up a hand, "You do realize that there is one big problem? He doesn't remember who he was, or even us."

Washington chuckled, dark eyes landing on Jefferson, Madison and Burr. The three squirmed under that look as Washington simply said, "Well, I have a plan. And I think this is going to work."

* * *

 

"I swear to god." George King yawned, rolling completely off the bed until he landed in a pile of blankets on floor. His british accent thick with sleep, "It's three in the morning. I'm going to flay a man if the building isn't on fire."

Sam sat up, chuckling as he remembered being thankful for George being forced to take the bottom bunk. The two others in the room were barely moving. Sam stood from his bottom bunk, hitting the matress above him so Chase would wake up. "Come on, someone's probably messing with us."

"I'm going to kill their friends and family." George sang into floor, the sound muffled under the blanket pile that hit him from view. Lin sat up from the bunk above him, "I want to sleep. I'm a college student!"

"Sammy," Lin offered, dark hair messy from sleep and voice husky, "could you see who is at the door?"

"Yeah, it's probably the dumb jocks in 174 again." Sam sighed, stepping over George "The Lump" King, "If Max Robes and Nate Bostane want to start this up, oh, we'll start it up."

Sam threw open the door just as Chase sat up. He blinked at the three hulking figures in the doorward. Sam swallowed, he recongized them. They were news everywhere on campus, the founding fathers reincarnated. Thomas Jefferson raised an eyebrow at him and had to bend at the waist to look him in the eye. Sam swallowed and took a step back. 

"What do you want?"

"We're looking for Lin La Vega." Jefferson simply, teeth bared in an odd smile as he poked Sam in the chest, "We know this is his dorm."

George yelled something about their "No Assholes Allowed" policy but Lin took this chance to jump from his bunk. His bare feet hit the carpet and he walked forward, straightening the shirt twisted around him. Lina yawned, "If you wanted to talk, dear god, wait for the morning. Some of us actually have class tomorrow you asshats."

"Sorry," Burr offered, voice oddly stiff when he realized that this was the first time he was facing Hamilton since their fateful duel, "but this is important."

Lin blinked, he frowned when he remembered Burr's face. It took a few minutes for him to come up with a reaction. "Unless, I'm Alexander Hamilton and you're here to shoot me, piss off."

And he slammed the door in their faces. 

"Lin," George yawned once the door was closed, "can you help me back into bed?"

Lin rolled his eyes, "Yeah, whatever  _your majesty_." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who commented and wanted to see more! It all means so much! :)

They watch him, whether he's going to class, or in extracurriculars, hell, or even studying in the library. There is a pair of eyes on him from the women in his past life. It's quiet and he doesn't know, but every other reincarnate from their friend group does.

Angelica wants him safe. He helped create America and if someone got to him, there could be an undoing of America itself. Of that, she was sure.

Eliza wants to know he's always going to be there. He slipped through her fingers in one life and she couldn't catch the ashes of his wildfire until now. And she was going to keep ever piece together because when he remembered someone would need to.

Peggy wants their friend back. They had passed on early, way too early, in their previous life and had missed too much.

Maria wants to see him again. She wants to apologize, she wants to make amends. But, most of all, she wants to keep him away from James. She hasn't found him yet, but there's no doubt that he'll show up too. And she's always had a nagging feeling that he'll settle a score.

And so they watch him.

The college has only been in session for a week and already, their job is tougher than it needs to be.

"He's friends with King George," Peggy laughed, drinking their smoothie from the school campus cafe, "You have to be kidding me! That's hilarious."

"The King doesn't remember," Angelica observed, watching the two people at the end of the patio through her sunglasses. Lin was laughing at a video on his laptop, George beside him and sharing a single pair of earbuds. A smile cracked across her face as she sipped her tea, "so, we don't have to worry about him being strangled." She set down her cup and finally let out a sigh, "Okay, this is getting creepy as hell."

"You're telling me." Maria chuckled, adjusting her legs over Eliza's lap, "I still can't believe the guys showed up at his dorm at three in the morning."

Eliza chuckled, holding up her phone, "But it's still trending! #WhenPresidentsShowUpAtYourDorm. You should hear some of these. 'Hello, do you have a moment to talk about our constitution?' or 'Would you like to buy freedom cookies?', no, wait, 'Washington said we couldn't side with France, can we stay here?'."

"Damn them," Peggy grumbled, "they're memes before I was!"

"Burr wasn't a president." Maria offered and they all laughed.

* * *

 

"You," Washington started, arms crossed as he stared down at the sheepish students on his couch, "have invented a new kind of stupid. You went to his dorm in the middle of the night. What possessed you to do that?!"

"Mr. President..." Madison tried to amend, taken aback by the cold anger in the man's voice, "it," he glanced at the two on his left side before finally sighing, "okay, fine. It was a stupid idea."

"What were you even hoping to do?"

"That," Jefferson perked up, eyes wide, "I don't know."

"God, you're hopeless." Washington sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "just, try to make amends today at Debate Club. He hated you in his last life, we don't need him to hate you in this one."

* * *

 

Speak of the asshats!" Lin's cry was well heard across the debate club room and the Revolutionary Set all stared. Looks were shared and finally, Lafayette let out a sigh as Sam, Chase, and George laughed at their friend's reaction to the Democratic-Republicans walked in.

"It's weird seeing him with them," Hercules whispered to Laurens and Lafayette. The two nodded and he continued, "I remember him tearing into Seabury. I never thought he'd be friends with them."

Laurens pursed his lips in disgust, "I dueled and shot Lee for Alexander. It's wrong."

"He's with the King, he's friends with the King," Lafayette pointed out, "Back then they would have hanged Alex for being a Patriot."

Hercules blinked, "You have to wonder, though, why doesn't any of them remember? They're all together, with one of the lead Patriots nonetheless."

"It is odd, mon ami."

"Ladies and Gentlemen," Washington's voice broke through the haze of the discussions as he spoke, "line up in alphabetical order, last names."

And they did as they were ordered.

And once it was done, Washington walked down the line. He ordered them into partners and counting them. He never faltered, even saying "La Vega, Lafayette, group nine." without hesitation.

Once everyone was grouped and numbered, he said, "I've picked your partner for the first debate of the year. I'm assigning your positions on this matter. It's easily researchable and everyone has their opinions."

"Sir," Angelica called from where she stood with her partner, Sam Shepherd, "what's the topic?" Her questions were for Washington, her eyes were for Lafayette's partner.

"The Financial System of America," Washington said, "it's creation and it's history. From the 1700's to today. So, I'm assigning your stance."

He walked the opposite way down the line from when he started, simply saying For or Against for every group he came across. Schuyler and Shepherd. For. Laurens and Lee. Against. La Vega and Lafayette. For. Jefferson and Jackson. Against. And so on it went until everyone was assigned.

Washington stared at his club members and simply said, "This will be your main debate for the month and it will be set up in a round-robin style. The top debaters will be the first round debates at our first competition. So, organize a meeting place and then get out of my classroom."

* * *

 

"I heard you're working with Lafayette on your debate strategy," Eliza said to Lin when she saw him in choir, "that's all my sister was talking about."

"Yeah," Lin laughed, "they're pretty cool. We're meeting on Friday for coffee to discuss some stuff for the debate."

There was a quiet moment before Eliza sat down on the bench next to him. Lin blinked and turned to face her. "I take it Angelica saw the lineup for the debate? Lafayette and I are up against her and Sam for the first round."

"Yeah, I can't tell if she's pissed, scared, or up for the challenge." Eliza baited, watching to see the reaction. She never swore back then and she had to smile when she noticed a pink dusting on his cheeks. "Maybe it's all three."

"I hope it's all three." Lin laughed, "Lafayette wants someone good to debate against."

Eliza paused, blinked, and finally laughed. Her Alexander never turned down a chance to debate, so this only widened the gap between Alexander Hamilton and Lin La Vega.

* * *

 

"Saxophones," Lin yelled from the director's platform, the smaller one used for shows since Steuben was taking his break from conducting to get water, "let's run your formation one more time. Measures one through twenty-five." He held up his hands and finished with "your circle was weak. Clarinets were owning all of your asses!"

Maria rolled her eyes and looked down at the music stand connected to her saxophone. She inhaled and began to play. One, two, three, four. And she marched with her section, not missing steps. She parted with her half, swung around and connected with the end of the other line. Then they moved in the circle.

Measure twenty-five played and they were finished.

Lin pursed his lips, frowned and from above, Maria could hear the annoyed, "Again. I wanted the circle tighter, it's getting weaker."

Maria was really missing Alexander at this moment, he wasn't a drill sergeant like Lin was.

* * *

 

"So,  _mon ami_ ," Lafayette purred, sitting at the booth in the far corner of the campus cafe. Lin sat across from them, laptop open in front of him with the white light sharpening the shadows on his face, "where should we start?"

"I was thinking we could look at the beginning of the American Financial System," Lin offered, he looked up, the words of the laptop were reflected upside down in his oval reading glasses, "and the man who created it. We could look at why he thought it was good to create the banks when he did."

Lafayette wanted to scream and tear their hair out, but they settled for nodding and smiling. "Yeah, that sounds, how you say, awesome! So," they leaned forward, trying to find a hint of anything in those big dark eyes, "do you know who started it?"

"Alexander Hamilton," Lin mused, adding a few musical notes to the name, "I had to do a report on him in high school. The guy was kind of an asshole and all that, but hey, he started where I did." Lafayette blinked at the phrasing.

"What do you mean?"

Lin chuckled, "We both were born in Nevis. Kind of how like you and well,  _you_ were born in France. And how you were granted an automatic dual citizenship to America because the other Lafayette was granted an honorary one."

Lafayette chuckled, "Yeah, you're right on that one."

"It's ironic Washington paired two immigrants up with one another," Lin commented to no one, drinking his coffee and setting it down before he continued, "and have us argue For. So, do you think it's all a ploy?"

"A ploy for what?" Lafayette blinked. Did he know? Did he realize? Lafayette swallowed, did he  _remember_? "Washington doesn't seem to be that type of guy. I remember him having spies during the revolution but I highly doubt he'd mess with a bunch of undergrads."

Lin looked up at the word "spies" and  _something_ flashed in his eyes. Lafayette watched Lin bite his lip, all he needed was a push. "Wait. I remember! Hamilton controlled Washington's correspondence to his spies during the revolution!"

Lin looked up and sighed, "What's it like having two lives running through your head? Or much more?"

"It's all," Lafayette waved his hand, wrinkling his nose and his accent got thicker, "muddled. I remember it happening but there's just so much of it. Kind of like remembering what happened when you had your school photo taken. You know it happened, you just don't remember the events all in, um,  _high definition_."

The two looked at each other for a moment and Lin turned his computer around. On the screen was a painted portrait of one, Alexander Hamilton. Lin blinked, "You know if you're all here. Where is he?"

Internally screaming was the only thing Lafayette could only remember doing the entirety of the meeting. 

* * *

 

Hercules blinked, staring over at Lin as he held out a cloth to help measure Sam. Angelica's eyes were at the same spot, but eventually, she sighed and when back to her own sewing, "Lafayette told me what he was saying, Hercules. We're so close."

"This feels wrong." Hercules frowned, sewing one of Lafayette's skirts, "like, we're letting Lin figure it out. And...it's like something is blocking him from remembering."

"What would be doing that?"

"He was murdered," Hercules said slowly, eyes downcast when he remembered being friends with the man, "maybe it's a defense mechanism from his mind or something? God, I don't know. I just...want my friend back. I really didn't see him after Yorktown and I regret it."

Angelica rested a hand on his shoulder and blinked, "Don't worry, I promise he'll remember soon. You heard what Lafayette said,  _right_?" 

"Yeah."

* * *

 

" _Tomorrow and tomorrow creep in this petty place from day to day."_ Thomas read from the worn copy of  _Macbeth,_ "Okay, you know what? How can anyone do this? I speak English fine and I can't do this!"

Lin tossed his head back and laughed, the wig of black hair hung loose and synthetic hair hung down to past his shoulders. "At least Hale isn't making you be Lady Macbeth! When it gets to our scene I get to drape myself all over you and say,  _Screw your courage to the sticking place._ I didn't Shakespeare back in high school and I sure as hell don't like it now."

Thomas blinked, "Well, I always thought it was fine. But, the problem is, I just don't like going...in front of people."

"You do realize you're in theater club right?" 

"Eh, James didn't want to do it alone so I figured I'd be a good friend." Jefferson offered, his voice an octave higher like a liar, "My anxiety just gets really bad when I go on stage and I just can't breathe when there are so many people watching me." Lin was watching him, eyebrows raised as if he wasn't expecting that answer, "Maybe, I'm just not a good person to be doing this."

Lin smiled, dark eyes glittering from behind the mop of fake hair, "Oh don't worry, just keep your eyes on me. I won't let you be alone up there."

Jefferson smiled and wondered if Hamilton was going to hate him more when he woke up.

* * *

"Lin," George sang to him once they were back in their dorm after theater practice, "how was it working with one of the asshats?"

"Jefferson is  _weird._ " He said simply, "Not in the way you'd expect. He's just really human. Like, I always hear stories about Thomas Jefferson being this larger than life figure in Cabinet Meetings but now...he doesn't like being in front of people. I don't know, he's just weird."

Sam whistled through his teeth and collapsed back onto his bed, Chase was already climbing the ladder to his bed. Sam kicked off his shoes and continued, "Weird doesn't explain him and his Democratic-Republican buddies showing up at our dorm, you know?"

Chase yawned, "I'm honestly game to forget about it. At most, they were probably trying to scare us or something."

"They went after Lin." George reminded them, "So they were probably looking for someone else to join their debate team. But, hey, I agree with Chase. Though, they're still team asshat to me."

"Can we all agree on that?" Lin laughed. 

A chorus of 'Yeah's' echoed through the dorm and George just kicked off his shoes, "Oh dear me. It looks like we have Team Asshat versus what? Team Torie? We do have our own  _King_ to be loyal to."

George chuckled, "So, I'm royalty now?"

"Long live the King!" Sam proclaimed loudly, "Team Torie for life!"

"Team Torie for life." They laughed. Each echoing the phrase, except Lin. Who just continued to laugh despite the horrible knot of some horrid emotion tying itself into his stomach. 

 


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments and wonderful feedback! You guys are amazing! Enjoy chapter three! :)

Washington considered himself a patient man, he always would. He had the patience to outlast Valley Forge, he had the patience not to strangle his Secretary of State and Treasury Secretary, hell, he had the patience to not kick the door down to congress when he saw Political Parties forming. So, yes, in his own opinion, he was a patient man. Except, now his revered patience was starting to thin.

He frowned, staring at Andrew Jackson-a young man with an odd sense of entitlement despite the fact he was widely regarded as America's Most Disappointing President, utterly tearing into Lin. Their names had been drawn up for a random debate and the debate topic drawn had been _Immigration_. Washington had asked if Lin would have liked the topic changed, but Lin shook his head when he saw Jackson's eye roll.

Washington was regretting it.

"Oh come on," Jackson spat at Lin and causing the other man to shrink back slightly, "everyone knows that immigrants are the causes for the American job problem. If we got them out then Americans wouldn't have to struggle to find work."

"A-Actually," Lin was stuttering and fumbling with his words. Washington shared a glanced with Jefferson and he could practically feel the want to protect radiating from the other man, Washington blinked and fought the urge not to smile. Oh, how the times had changed, "unemployment is at a low and immigration is at a high with the refugees entering from the crisis in the middle-"

Jackson snorted and took a dangerous step forward, Lin held his ground but his shoulders hunched, "Oh, don't talk about the middle east. Look south! We have _Illegals_ coming in left and right."

"The American Dream is something people-"

" _Legal_ people," Jackson cut him off, "we just need to get rid of the illegal ones that are taking up too much room here. Too much room that Americans-"

"So you want another Trail of Tears?" Lin finally snapped and Washington blinked at the way he suddenly got so angry. It was like lightning, dangerous and white hot, A bunch of people around ' _oohed_ ' and a cheer went up from the Revolutionary Set, "Another nail in your coffin."

Jackson's eyes flared and this time he didn't take a step, he practically lunged forward and hauled Lin up by his sweatshirt until they were face to face. Lin visibly paled and when Washington saw Jackson raise his hand to strike the smaller man, he stood. " _Gentlemen._ "

He saw Jefferson on his feet, Madison next to him and a fuming Lafayette holding Laurens back with a hand. Jackson glanced at Washington and dropped Lin, who scrambled up from his place on the floor and danced back towards Chase and Sam. Washington stalked forwards towards the younger reincarnate and simply said, "I will not tolerate violence in a formal debate. Am I understood?"

"Sir-"

" _Am I understood?_ "

Jackson blinked in terror and stepped back. He nodded and his shoulders drooped, "Yes, Sir."

Washington turned to address the rest of the people in the room and Jackson scrambled back to his seat. "Now, you're all free to go. But, if I _ever_ , see violence in this room again, I will not hesitate to tear into you. So, get out of my classroom." The last sentence had a lighter tone but it didn't stop a lot of students from retreating from the room, Jackson and his friends many of them.

The room was empty when he was approached by the Revolutionary Set with Jefferson and Madison with them. Washington blinked and Jefferson practically growled, "You need to do something about Jackson. He's out of line."

"I'm with Jefferson," Hercules blinked, eyes narrowed and his jaw set in a way that reminded Washington of the man who hadn't hesitated to kill British soldiers, "I've heard about him shoving a bunch of other people around and being a huge dick all around."

Lafayette looked like they were going to rip Jefferson in two, or at least cut into them with a saber, " _Mon ami_  is right. If he goes for Lin one more time, _mon petit lion_ won't need to defend himself."

The threat was there and Washington knew it. He blinked. "I'll handle it. Jackson isn't going to be hurting anyone."

Laurens rolled his eyes and went to say something, but Madison cut him off first. "Did none of you see it?"

"See what?" Was the chorus that followed.

"Lin defended himself," Madison chuckled, an odd light in his dark eyes, " _Hamilton Style._ "

* * *

 

"I'm going to stab him," Peggy chuckled, eyeing the way Jackson complained about debate club with his friends, "I'm going to stab him and no one is ever going to know."

Sam laughed, leaning forward slightly as he adjusted his English textbook on his lap, "Oh trust me, I was about to. I never thought I'd see Chase lunge at a man, but had I not grabbed him he probably would have fought him right there."

Peggy grinned wide and set their textbook on the table, staring down their partner for her English 101 introduction project, "So, tell me, what's the story with you and Lin? I see you two together all the time!"

Sam flushed scarlet and Peggy's grin cracked into a sly smile. _Gotcha._ They let out a playful squeal and smacked his shoulder, "Oh, wait. Do you like him?"

"I...guess?" Sam chuckled, carding fingers through his hair before continuing, "He's always been really nice to me, but I'm ninety percent sure George would gut me if I went for it, you know? He's really protective of Lin."

"Why?"

"You don't know?"

* * *

 

"No," Eliza whispered, eyes wide as Peggy delivered the information to the rest of the group, "no way."

Maria shook her head and glanced at the other members of the group. Jefferson was shaking like he was about to burst into laughter, which he probably was. The Revolutionary Set seemed utterly confused at the irony. Washington just looked utterly exasperated from the way he held his face in his hands. Peggy seemed like they was about to break into hysterics, "You guys honestly don't get how funny this is."

Madison blinked, pondering the situation, "Well, that explains the money for Columbia. This place isn't exactly cheap, you know?"

Angelica sighed and leaned her head back against the wall, "If someone told me this information a month ago I would call them crazy. Why does this happen to us? Literally, what did we do?"

Jefferson finally broke down and crowed with laughter, his head tossed back and an ' _ahaha_ ' sound following. It was loud. Burr, on the other hand, just pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed, "Honest to god, what are the odds that Alexander Hamilton is King George the Third's adoptive brother?"

* * *

 

Washington blinked, grading papers was making his eyes sore but when he heard the door to his office open and close, he looked up. He blinked when he saw pale skin and the golden hair that belonged to one George King. He blinked and the British man simply smiled wide and kind before taking the seat across from Washington.

"Ah, Mr. King," Washington spoke slowly, eyes never leaving the reincarnated King, "what can I do for you? I don't have you in any of my classes so I don't know why'd you be here."

"I know you know about me." King simply said as he leaned forward, elbows on the desk separating them as his blue eye sparkled, "And don't lie, Professor, or should I say _General_?"

The two stared at one another for a long moment of silence, two predators circling each other and neither was about to give up. King's intense stare broke as he broke off into a low laugh, "Oh, come on. What can I do? I'm a little college student."

"You're King George the Third," Washington pointed out, raising an eyebrow, "and you're the only person in the world who has a reincarnate claim to the English throne. So, why not take your chance?"

"Ah," King chuckled and an odd heat glowed to life in his eyes, "but I'm _American_ now. What are the odds of that much irony?"

Washington blinked and set down his pen, staring the blonde in the eyes, "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Oh, it has to do with a lot. It's one of the reasons I'm George King and will always be that way. Besides," he laughed, something long and more high pitched, "who wants to know that the king who went crazy is back?"

"You're angry that you can't claim back your throne?"

King shook his head and waved a hand, a dismissive gesture, "Oh no, of course not. Who do you take me for? I'm just a bit... _salty_ that I'm stuck here when everyone else around me is a reincarnate."

"What do you mean? Who do you mean?"

"Everyone. You. Your debate team. Chase. Sam." He paused for a moment and plucked a candy from the dish, before making eye contact and practically purring, "Lin."

"So you know." It wasn't a question. Washington knew questions when he heard them, but that wasn't a question. It was a jab, something to make him falter. Washington didn't fall for it, "And so does everyone else who it pertains to. Now,  _your majesty,_ why are you here really?"

King blinked and his smile dropped. All the heated light in his blue eyes died and the look he gave Washington was dead. "I want to know what you're going to do to Lin. Sam told me how your little group knows about my family ties."

"We're not going to hurt him," Washington replied simply, turning his attention back to the paper in front of him, "we just want our friend back."

Washington didn't look back up when he was met with silence. He didn't have to since he knew very well that King was grinning, whether it was malicious or somewhat happy, he honestly didn't want to find out. There had always been rumors in the colonies of the crazy king, just small things to further the revolution, but now they were beginning to seem a lot truer.

"Just checking."

* * *

 

Burr, to say the least, was struggling. It wasn't fair. He  _knew_ the others were blaming him for this mess. How was he supposed to know back then that Hamilton wouldn't come around for over two hundred years? He ignored the chastising voice in his head that seemed to purr  _You didn't know about reincarnation either. You just wanted him dead._ He hated to admit it was right. He sighed. He couldn't even find Theodosia, so that left him alone with the people who had more reasons to hate him than not. 

Even now, Hamilton's life still had the utmost effect on his. 

"Burr!" Lin called as he walked over, papers being waved at him as the shorter man practically bounded over to him. His smile was wide and Burr felt a knot tying itself into his stomach, "Some of the papers for your column got into my stack. Here you go. I read your draft though, it's really good." 

"Thanks," Burr replied, smiling himself as Lin handed him the papers, their hands brushing slightly, "how's your column coming along? The stories are due by Friday."

Lin's dark eyes glittered in the white light before he smiled even wider, "Oh, it's going great! I'm already in my editing stage. Franklin was saying how I should write the marching band section for the sports column."

"More work the better?"

"Nah, I just like writing. I am a theater and writing after afterall."

Burr couldn't help but smile at the way Lin's smile was wider than when it started. Lin seemed to laugh, a hand reached up to comb through his dark hair before he simply said, "Even though you seem to be better at it than I am. You'll do great in law!"

He blinked simply in return, caught between  _How did he know I was a Pre-Law major? I haven't announced it._ and  _You should be better at writing than me. You wrote until you ran out of time._ Burr blinked himself from the stupor and clapped Lin on the shoulder as he chuckled, "Oh, thank you very much. Good to know I have someone on my side in this."

Lin's face flushed a blood red scarlet and he just nodded before slipping away back to his desk. Burr blinked at the odd interaction before he turned, only to jump back at the way Laurens was smiling at him, eyebrows waggling at him. 

"Another person on the side, Burr?" Laurens jabbed at him with his two index fingers poking him repeatedly in the chest, using the same tone he did all those years ago at Hamilton's wedding reception, "Oh, come on, don't look so scared! I'm just messing."

"Yeah," Burr replied, not looking at Laurens but at the area beside him where Lin had been only a few moments prior, "I know."

* * *

 

"What has you so rattled?" Madison asked when he saw Lin sitting on the edge of the stage, a plastic water bottle between his hands. Jefferson wasn't with him today, preferring to stay in the dorm nursing a migraine as a shivering lump under his blankets with the curtains drawn. Lin looked up at him and blinked. Madison only raised an eyebrow and sat down next to him, "Come on, I don't bite usually!"

Lin laughed, took a swig of his water before glancing at Madison, "What's it like being James Madison?"

"What do you mean?"

"Like," Lin frowned as if he was looking for a word to describe it, but he eventually said, "how did you know? What was it like...waking up? I always hear about how you guys, the revolutionaries I mean, are the greatest people in American history, but I never really understood you guys."

Madison laughed tightly as the first question hit him. He blinked. Maybe a description could trigger an awakening or something? He didn't know, but he wasn't scared enough to not try. "You know when you zone out and sort of...forget what you're doing? It was like that. Like I was zoned out when I wasn't, well James Madison me, and then it all came back to me later. I think that's why our names are legally changed once we're officiated as reincarnated?"

Lin laughed before the smile fell and he stared off into the theater, eyes far away, "Pretty interesting."

"I just remember as a kid," Madison continued, waving a hand in a nonchalant gesture, but Lin only continued staring into the theater like he was caught up in a memory of his own, "having all of these weird feelings, then it went into full on flashbacks. I know Thomas woke up with his memories restored, but I had these horrible headaches for  _weeks_ and then one day I just remembered."

The other man still didn't say anything, so Madison just finished, "Well, I know it's different for everyone. You just have to wait until you get yours, I guess."

And there was silence between the two. 

It lasted for a few minutes before Lin finally broke the silence, "We were working on a set today. It's supposed to be a stormy set but I made sure it had a yellow sky. I don't know why it had to be a yellow sky...I just...knew it was supposed to be yellow."

Madison said nothing, instead, he just placed a hand on Lin's shoulder. And the silence between them was sufficient.

* * *

 

Hercules, for all the times he had passed by Lin, rarely talked to him. It was always pleasantries, a few attempts at commentaries on various things, but other than that it was nothing. They weren't enemies, but not friends. More acquaintances who knew one another and had no opinion. Hercules wanted to change that. Everyone else wanted him to change that. 

"Come on,  _mon ami_ ," Lafayette pushed one day when they were at the library, Lin was a few shelves over working on something for his english course, "talk to him. About sewing or something! We can add him to the Revolutionary Set again if he's our friend!"

"I don't know," Hercules sighed as he passed Lafayette a book, in return, they placed it high on the shelf, "I don't want to come off as creepy, you know? Like I can't just sit down next to him randomly like we've been best friends since grade school, you know?"

"Go." Lafayette said to him once the books were all returned, his voice was commanding and it reminded Hercules that Lafayette was still every ounce a  _Major General,_ "Talk to him! Otherwise, I'm locking you out of the room and you'll be sleeping in the hallway."

He laughed. "John, hell,  _Burr_ would let me in."

"Oh really?" An eyebrow was raised, finely sculpted and Hercules knew there was no winning.

_"Fine."_

Lafayette giggled and walking away, heels clicking oddly against the thin carpet covering the hardwood beneath. Hercules sighed and made his way through the maze of shelves before he stopped. His eyes went wide and he chuckled. 

Sitting in front of him was Lin. The man was knelt over, head resting on crossed arms as he was illuminated by the light of his laptop. Hercules walked forward and blinked when he Lin's closed eyes and his long lashes as dark smears on his cheeks. He let out a sigh and reached over Lin's sleeping form, saving the essay before closing out of the writing program. He shut down the laptop and closed it before scribbling down a note on a scrap piece of paper. 

Honestly, it was a split-second decision he made as he shimmied out of his coat. He draped it over the small man and watching the large coat practically hide him away from the outside world. Hercules smiled, remembered doing this often during the times he was in camp during the revolution or at least carrying a sleeping Hamilton to his own tent. He fought the urge to ruffle his messy hair and simply walked away to find Lafayette.

* * *

 

> _Lin,_
> 
> _I saved your essay and put away your notes in the folder under your laptop. Get some more sleep, you've been looking really tired._
> 
> _Also, could you please return my coat at the next and easiest possible time? No need to stress about it._
> 
> _\- Hercules Mulligan_

* * *

 

"Oh!" Lin blinked as he heard Chase laugh loudly as he walked in, "What was keeping you so long? Or should I say  _who_?"

Chase was laughing and Lin just shook his head, smirking slightly at a number of hysterical giggles that his late entrance was receiving. "I just had the weirdest experience at the library."

"Is that what these young kids are calling it nowadays?"

"Piss off, Chase," Lin replied, smiling all the while, "you guys know that one Hercules Mulligan guy?" There were nods and Lin just continued, "Well, I fell asleep at the table and then he turned off my laptop and put my stuff away for me. He then left me this note." He passed it to a very confused looking Sam before finally finishing with, "And then he covered me up with his coat."

Sam blinked as he finished reading the note before handing it upwards to Chase. George was staring at his adopted brother with raised eyebrows as he said, "That's weird. What did you do or is Mulligan like the Grade A Dad Friend?"

"I think the second one?" Sam offered to everyone's surprise, "He fixes  _everyone_ 's clothes. And not to mention he bought me food one day randomly. Like, I didn't even ask or anything. He just gave it to me and said something about me losing too much weight? What?"

Lin blinked and frowned slightly. Chase caught it and naturally called him out, "What's eating you up about it? He was being nice."

"I _feel_ like he's done that before." Lin blinked, brows knitting further together as he glanced up at the note as Chase handed if off to George, "But...I don't  _remember_ him ever doing that, you know? Now that I think about it...that whole Revolutionary Set has always been freakishly nice and forward to me?"

Sam blinked, eyebrows raising, "Maybe they think you're one of them?"

"Oh," Lin sighed, waving his hand and dismissing it, "I highly doubt it. Who would think that me of all people could possibly be a reincarnate?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to comment on what/who you guys want to see! The story is pretty spontaneous so any request is okay in my book! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, I was waiting until the school year had finished! But here's the next chapter! 
> 
> Apologies if I screw up with Peggy's gender at all in here, I try to use "They", but sometimes I accidentally use "She". Please tell me if I missed one! 
> 
> Also: Enter ANGST

Maria couldn't help but laugh when she saw a very disgruntled George King walking towards her, coffee in hand with his blonde hair sticking up in every direction. He looked tired and a solid ninety percent dead, but that didn't distract from the bright red color he was wearing. He yawned, his blue eyes flicked to her and he stopped. He blinked at her for an odd moment but before Maria could ask what he wanted he smiled, "Oh, my! Ms. Maria Reynolds! May I accompany you?"

"What do you want, _your highness_?" She replied, not giving him an answer but she knew telling him to piss off wouldn't have sent him away, "And why are you calling me that?"

He chuckled, "Oh, no reason. So, a little birdie around campus told me you're looking for someone. It is true?"

"Why do you care?"

"I know it's not Lin." George seemed to sing, sipping his coffee. The light caught his pale skin and Maria blinked at the bruises under his eyes, "Shall I take a guess about who it is? Oh, there are so many men to guess!"

Maria growled and stopped. She swung around, long dark hair flaring out as she grabbed the Reincarnated King by the collar, "Why do you care?"

And he laughed. Maria blinked and flashed back to Washington reporting that King was awake and kicking. _"All of you need to be careful around King. He knows who all of you are and he's just...off. There's something there and it doesn't look good."_ Maria let him go and he took a step back. His laughed cut down to chuckling at he smoothed over his red shirt, "Oh, no reason."

"King, I will gut you like a fish."

"You're looking for a Mister James Reynolds aren't you?"

She paused. Her red nails dug into her palms and she took a step forward. George only sipped his coffee, eyebrows raised as if he was daring her to hit him. Maria took a steadying breath, "I am."

"Why?"

"He made my life hell." Maria spat angrily, her face heating up with the rage she was feeling, "He threatened my daughter. He practically whored me out! He ruined all of us and if I see that bastard here I'm going to make sure he knows what he did."

George raised an eyebrow. "You've met him in a past life?"

She blinked her shoulders dropped, remembering traveling the country to Golden California, a dust bowl on her heels. She had traveled with her family to California and ended up working on a peach farm under James Reynolds. Maria blinked when she remembered how he felt entitled to her and it filled her with rage. He always seemed to show up where she was. But this life was going to be different.

She had friends to back her up, Maria wasn't going to let him torture her this time around.

"Yes."

"I heard about a third-year transfer student that claims to be from the revolution," George said to no one in particular, eyes staring at the cloudy morning sky above Maria's head, "and according to Lin, he's a real ass to everyone in his advanced economics."

Maria blinked in confusion. Economics. He always had wanted to be up in the ranks of Alexander Hamilton. She frowned, back when they were married in the seventeen hundred he always talked about Hamilton. It had been an obsession. _"How does Alexander Hamilton get everything? I worked for it! He was given it!"_ She remembered his yelling, she remembered telling their daughter to run along and go play in the street with her friends, she remembered the bruises, _"I'm going to ruin that whore's son! And I know just the way to do it."_

"Maria?" George asked, leaning forward to the point his blue eyes were all she could pay attention to. They reflected the sky. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, sorry." Maria shook herself from the memories, remembering that this body wasn't bruised by him. She remembered that it wasn't going to,"What makes you think it's this transfer student?"

George's relieved smile dropped and his face was as emotionless as stone. "Do you remember that one research paper published a few years ago? The one talking about the relationship between dreams and resurfacing memories?"

"Yeah, Freud wrote it didn't he?" She asked, remembering the big explosion in the Reincarnated Science community that Freud was back. She naturally read it, of course. Being the only Reincarnate in a school of over seven hundred people made her desperate to find someone, anyone. "Why does that matter?"

"Lin talks in his sleep."

And Maria froze.

"What does he say?"

"Odd things," George shrugged half-heartedly, "things about hurricanes and revolutions. He speaks in French but doesn't know it when he's awake. And he mentions people. A lot of people."

"Who?"

"He talks about someone named Phillip, his son I presume, he goes on about dead soldiers," George blinked, finishing his coffee before continuing, "He talks about James Reynolds. It's been getting worse and more reoccurring ever since he started talking about that transfer student. I think he's recognizing him or something. Sam and Chase sleep like the dead but I think they're starting to notice."

Maria blinked and just blanched at this resolution. This wasn't good, not at all. "Who is this transfer student?"

"Ronald James."

"Very original." Maria sighed, storing the name for a later date. She could have Angelica pull up his records, perks of Student Council. "What else does Lin talk about?" She blinked and waited for George to reply.

And he did.

"He talks about you."

"What does he say?"

"That he's sorry."

* * *

 

"Oh," Chase grinned as he sat down across from John Laurens, laptop in hands as John looked up at him from his phone, "Hey, John. Ready to work on the debate topic for Washington? From what Sam has told me, it looks like Angelica and Sam might just kick our asses."

John grinned, but from what Chase could tell it wasn't a friendly smile. He blinked and tried not to frown. He hadn't done anything to John as far he could tell. So, why would he be mean to him? It didn't make sense, but Chase decided to sit down anyway. "So, I've been thinking since for the debate that we're Against, we could start with the extreme poverty that's been around since the 1800s?"

The reincarnate blinked and nodded, he shrugged before even saying, "Sure, we can do that." Something in his eyes flashed and he leaned forward, "But it is a very intimidating topic, so are you going to, you know, retreat from it?"

Chase blinked at the phrase. "I wouldn't?"

Something in John's eyes flashed and Chase scooted back slightly. Something wasn't right. He had never said a word to him! So, why was John mad him? Chase swallowed, felt a twinge behind his eyes and looked up. John had leaned forward, a dangerous shadow across his features. Chase blinked.

"What did I do to you?" Chase asked suddenly. His fight or flight senses were starting to kick in and he had chosen fight. "I've never even had a one-on-one conversation with you before."

"I know who you were," John grumbled and Chase furrowed his brow, the twinge behind his eyes was getting worse. "We knew each other from the war. Don't you remember? Don't you remember me of all people?"

"I-I don't know what you're talking about." Chase frowned and he glanced at his hands, why were they shaking? It felt like there was dirt stuck under his nails yet there wasn't. He shook his head and looked up at John and he could have sworn John was wearing blue, not his gray hoodie, "I don't think I'm a reincarnate?"

John chuckled, "Oh, don't be so sure."

"Who would I even be?!"

John leaned forward and something flashed across his green eyes. It was something angry, yet sad all the same. Almost like John felt bad for doing this, yet angry at the fact that Chase had done something to him before. John blinked.

"Charles Lee."

And Chase sat back, spine ramrod straight. His heart pounded in his ears and it hurt to breathe. It was suddenly too hot but his hands felt so numb from coldness. John looked horrified from the reaction as he reached his hand forward, almost as if he was going to grab Chase. Chase blinked and suddenly it all came flooding back.

_There was too much blood. And it was too hot. There were too many people dying, too many British soldiers that came storming through their ranks. The redcoats went down in smears of red but it was useless because so many of their own had gone down too. So many people were dying, their moans and pained screams were beginning to become the same white noise that gun shots and horse noises were. The sun was beating down on them. And Washington, the god atop the snow white horse was crying for them to move forward. It was hopeless, too many men were dying. They weren't going to make it. Retreat and regroup._

_Charles held his breath and felt the hot blood dripping down his face. It wasn't his, it was from the writhing mass of man at his feet. He swallowed and before he could even stop the man's suffering with his sword, the man stopped moving. Charles heard one of his own die from somewhere beside him. He swallowed and finally screamed, "Retreat!"_

_Aaron Burr was across from him, the man's arms were crossed and his brow was furrowed. "General, it's not wise for you to do this. Laurens is insane, he's practically insubordinate. Please, don't do this. His Excellency wouldn't hesitate to discharge all of you for this."_

_"Laurens challenged me," Charles amended as he rested a hand on Burr's shoulder, "all I need you to do is negotiate a peace with Hamilton. If we can stop this mess then you'll finally get the credit you deserve."_

_Burr blinked. "I don't agree with it."_

_"You don't have to, I just need a number two."_

_"Fine."_

_Oh god. He'd been shot. Laurens had shot him. He was dying. He was dying. Burr was at his side and his shaking hands were doing their best to staunch the flow of blood from his side. His face was in the cold dirt, nails clawing through the soft earth and embedding it under his nails. There was too much pain. It was suffocating him. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. He wasn't screaming._

_"Lee," Hamilton laughed. Why was he laughing? This was his fault? Lee was dying and Hamilton was laughing, "do you yield?"_

_Burr looked up and something thunderous crossed his face. The hands staunching the blood flow tightened and Lee whined, the sound almost like a dying animal's whine. Charles sucked in a breath and his own shaking hands twitched up to his own side. They covered Burr's but did little to stop blood flow. Burr's voice was somewhere far off even though Charles could see his mouth moving._

_"Shot him in the side," Burr snarled, "Yes! He yields!"_

_Charles was dying and his vision was beginning to blur, making Burr a dark smear against the blue sky. He coughed and could practically feel blood bubble up from his lips. He let out another wounded moan. Laurens cried from somewhere far away, "I'm satisfied."_

_And the duel was done._

_"We have to clear the field!" Burr shouted and Lee understood. It was a gunshot and there were no battles. The general would have heard it. His Excellency would be coming and Charles didn't want to know if there would be punishment or not._

_Hamilton sounded outraged. Charles' hands went slack and Burr's head snapped down to face the man in the dirt, "No, we won!"_

_Everything was going black as the sound of hooves filled the air. Charles closed his eyes._

_Funny, he thought later as he woke up in the surgical tent, Hamilton went home. And so will I._

 

And Lee blinked back into the present. He looked up at John with wide eyes, but the other man was just staring at him. His face betrayed no emotion, but there was something in his eyes that was more than enough for Lee to realize one important thing: John didn't like doing this. He blinked, made a strangled noise and stood. John said nothing and just watched in silence as Lee shoved all of his belongings into his bag. 

Lee left and wasn't followed. 

* * *

 

Peggy, to say the least, was very annoyed and slightly confused. Like, who the hell gets locked in the music building? 

They had fallen asleep while waiting for Eliza to finish her assignment for choir, but when they had woken up it was almost two in the morning. Peggy groaned again as they pushed against the door to the outside. It wouldn't budge. Neither had any of the other exits. They were stuck here.

No one had answered their phone yet, so there was no way for them to get out. 

"Damn it," They groaned, turning back into the dark hallway, "why is it always me?" 

There was no answer. 

For a little while at least. 

They paused when they heard a door close. Peggy sat up from where they had thrown themselves onto the couch and just blinked in shock the second they saw Lin walking into the foyer of the building. The door to the stairwell closed behind him and Peggy blinked. He didn't look stressed about being locked in, hell, he looked like he didn't care about the fact. 

"Lin?"

He jumped and whirled around to face them, eyes wide but the second he saw Peggy he blinked and physically relaxed. He smiled, "Peggy, oh thank god. I thought you were some psycho killer or something."

"Surprise?" They laughed as they jumped up from the couch, "But, what are you doing here? It's like two in the morning." 

"I guess I could ask you the same thing," Lin chuckled, "Well, believe it or not, this isn't the first time. After the third time in a week, the janitor gave me a key. Made me promise not to mess with anything, so I guess it's a fair trade-off." 

"Isn't that really against school rules?" Peggy raised an eyebrow and crossed their arms over their chest, "Like, grounds for expulsion?"

Lin grinned and proceeded to unlock the door, "Well, I highly doubt you'd tell anyone, right?"  

Peggy blinked, "No one has to know."

"I'll walk you back, our dorms are in the buildings right next to each other." Lin offered as he locked the door again behind him. He stuffed the key ring into his pocket before letting out a sigh, "What were you doing here, Pegs?"  

"Eliza had to do something for choir and I passed out on the couch," Peggy explained, "and no one noticed when they were closing up. How the hell does that happen?"

"No clue," Lin laughed.  

"What were you doing there?" Peggy said simply, "You never answered me when I asked you in the first place." 

And Lin laughed. It was an odd sound, friendly and nothing bad in it, but it was an awkward laugh. Like Peggy caught him doing something he shouldn't have been doing. Lin, after a few moments, finally shrugged and just said, "I was working in the recording studio."

"With what?" 

"Just a little thing I've been working on," He answered and Peggy snorted at the vagueness, "I've been testing out the sounds for some of the songs. Different tempos, instruments, pacings, you know?" 

"You're writing a musical?"

"Ya got me." Lin chuckled and Peggy blinked in shock at the man beside them, "I haven't really told anyone yet, so you mind keeping it quiet for me? I don't want George's parents throwing in a couple grand to get it pushed up at Broadway or something."

The two stopped outside of the girl's dorm and Peggy, instead of going inside, they turned to the man beside her, "I thought they were your parents too."

"As far as the United States and paperwork are concerned, they are," Lin replied, dark eyes meeting Peggy's, he let out a sigh and his warm breath was fog in the chilling air, "but, I don't consider them to be. They picked me up from the Carribean when I was fourteen because they pitied me for some reason, or maybe it was just the rich white people reason."

They had never heard such an odd bitterness in Lin's voice before and it sent an uncomfortable shiver up their spine. They remembered Alexander only sounding this bitter when he talked about how his half-brother on his mother's side had taken all land that he should have inherited from his deceased mother. They, or at that time  _she_ _,_ had only heard it once. And Alexander had been drunk from a Fourth of July celebration where veterans had kept buying him drinks. 

"Why would you think that?"

"I like his parents, don't get me wrong here, they're nice and great people," Lin amended first but then he just gestured with his hands as he continued, "but they had never even been to Nevis before the hurricane and they only came to check on their damn hotel there. It wasn't for relief, it wasn't for aid, it was for their own profit. They only met  _me_ because Mr. King took a tumble down some stairs."

"How does Papa King taking a tumbling end with meeting you then?"

"Both in the hospital. My parents and what was left of my family were dead so I had to wait for child services or whatever to come get me." He shrugged like he had said that so many times, he shrugged like it didn't bother him anymore. And it made Peggy frown. "Then I meet the missus and suddenly I'm King child  _numero dos_."

Peggy frowned. This wasn't right. Why was he telling them this? His shaking hands was more than enough to answer the question. Sleep deprivation seemed to be pretty big no matter what life Alexander was living. Peggy placed a hand on his shoulder and offered a smile, "Why were you in the hospital?" 

"Who wasn't? The only place with clean water." Lin chuckled. Peggy knew he was lying. And then he paused, "Wait...why am I telling you this?"

"It's almost three in the morning and you probably haven't slept in three days." Lin blinked and Peggy continued, "Lin, what if you go to bed and I promise not to tell anyone what happened tonight? Okay?"

"Okay." He nodded. 

And then Peggy patted his shoulder and walked away. They glanced back the second the door had shut and saw that Lin was already gone. They frowned. They knew he wasn't telling the whole truth. Something was wrong and Peggy was starting to form a hypothesis. 

* * *

 

Washington sat back in his office chair as John explained what he had done. He ran a hand over his face and sighed into his palm before taking it away and looking the younger reincarnate in the eyes, "You did  _what_?"

John flinched at the tone but held his ground. "I knew that if we could get Charles Lee to wake up, then maybe Lin wouldn't be so unopen to the idea of being a reincarnate."

"You don't realize what you've done."

"Sir-"

" _Laurens_ ," His voice thundered in the room and John straightened instantly into a soldier's posture, "That was not your place. You forced Lee to wake up, you forced  _a human being_ into another life he had no idea he had. As far as we both knew,  _he had no idea who he was!"_

"Sir-"

"Be quiet." Washington thundered as he stood, hands braced on the desk. Laurens paled but shut his mouth and bowed his head submissively as if he was ready to take the scolding. "Laurens, please, understand what you've done. You know the stories, hell, you remember how scared you were remembering  _naturally_. You forced Lee into something he wasn't ready for. You took something from him. And you don't know what he's going to do. He's remembering a completely different life while living this one. That fact has destroyed some people. Do you remember what happened to that  twelve-year-old boy who had been revealed to be Julius Caesar a few years back?"

Laurens stayed quiet but Washington only punctuated what he was about to say, " _He killed himself_. He killed himself because there was too much and he didn't know what to do with it and he didn't understand what was happening. So, tell me, Laurens, do you realize what you might have caused?!"

"I do, Sir." It was quiet but an answer nonetheless. 

And Washington sighed as he sat down, the rage leaving his body. His shoulders sagged and he shook his head, "Please, tell me why you did it."

And Laurens looked up. His eyes glittering with unshed tears. He let out a ragged breath that sounded  _wrong_. "I miss Alexander."

* * *

 

"What did you need," Sam asked as he stood alone in the quiet and too empty classroom, he had never felt so small in his life, he gestured to the three in front of him as he said their names "Jefferson, Madison, Burr?"

The three Democratic-Republicans just stared at him and Sam swallowed. It was like being circled by predators because despite him being closest to the door, there was no way they would let him leave. 

Madison spoke first, it was almost comforting but Sam knew better. He had read enough to know that where Jefferson had been the big figure, Madison had the power. Burr, on the other hand, had been an odd mediator that had been pushed out before he even had the chance to do something to put him in the room where  _it_ happened. "Mr. Shepherd, we were wondering if you'd like to help us?"

"Sorry," Sam replied instantly, "I promised not to help Team Asshat. My dorm is signed onto Team Torie."

"Hear us out." That was Jefferson.

Sam turned to leave.

"It's about Lin." And that was Burr.

Sam stopped. "Talk fast, I'm listening for now."

Jefferson spoke up and uncrossed his arms from over his chest, "We know Lin's one of us. A reincarnate. We wanted to know if you'd be willing to help us out."

"With what?"

"Jogging his memories."

And Sam snorted, "Oh please, you want me to help you with that of all things? What would I even do? Take him to a museum and  _'My God! Lin would you look at the portrait of Alexander Hamilton. He looks just like you!_ '."

Burr furrowed his brow and leaned forward slightly, "How did you know who Lin was?" 

"It wasn't hard and I'm not stupid," Sam growled out as he took a step forward, an odd feeling of protectiveness rising in his chest, "when you three dumbasses showed up at my dorm asking for Lin it wasn't too hard to figure out. Who did you two," he pointed to Jefferson and Madison, "have in common? Someone in Washington's cabinet. And who would Burr be looking for as well? Easy. Alexander Hamilton."

No one could argue with that logic. Madison cleared his throat, "Would you like to help us?"

"I'm not going to make Lin wake up, it's not right. It's like murder. Because then he's just  _Alexander Hamilton_ again and Lin doesn't exist anymore." Sam spat, "It's sick and twisted and I shouldn't make Lin give up his life to be someone else."

No one said a thing for a single moment, but then Sam saw the way something flashed in Jefferson's eyes. He swallowed. Now he knew why the man was feared all those years ago, he could catch things you never said. And he wouldn't hesitate to use them against you. Jefferson tossed his head back and it was full on body shakes and  _'ahaha'_ echoing throughout the empty classroom. Everyone was staring at Jefferson until he was done. 

"Oh my God," Jefferson said suddenly, body snapping forward so he could look Seabury in the eye, "you  _like_ him. Lin, that is. You don't want to help us because then that ruins your chances!"

"Shut up." Sam growled, cheeks blazing and that was how he knew the Democratic-Republicans had won, "Shut up! You don't know anything. What use would having Hamilton back be? You were at each other's throats constantly!"

"Believe it or not," Burr spoke for the three this time, "Hamilton was actually vital to us. We need him back if we want it to be a complete set again. And we all do, besides, there are plenty of people who would die to see him now."

"Who?"

"Well, plenty of members from the continental congress-"

Sam blinked and whirled on the man. He shouted, for the first time in his life, at the other man, "Well,  _that Congress does not speak for me!"_

Burr froze and his eyebrows rose. His jaw dropped slightly but Sam only continued, "You're all selfish. You don't realize that what you're doing is going to end Lin. You're disgusting." Sam moved towards the door and he paused once he opened it. He threw only two words over his shoulder before storming out, "For shame."

And he was gone.

And Jefferson let out a breath. "Well, that went well." He glanced over at the frowning Madison but then his eyes caught sight of the way Burr hadn't moved and his shocked expression was still on the door Sam had exited from. "Burr, what's wrong?"

"I...I know him." He blinked, "I met him back in 1776. Oh my god, he's Samuel Seabury."

"What does he have to do with anything?"

"He's the Farmer...and Alexander wrote  _The Farmer Refuted._ "

* * *

 

Lin enjoyed Wednesdays. It was the only day that he, miraculously, had no classes. He could sit back and relax, hell, even sleep if he felt like it. He had the time to! He lounged back on his bunk and glanced at his watch. It was still early, more five in the morning early, but he thought it was more than enough sleep. He could just go work-

"Lin," George yawned, punching the mattress above him as he sat up, and Lin moved at the pressure below him, "go back to sleep. I can hear you thinking."

"Sorry George," Lin chuckled, but when he glanced over at the bunks beside them, he saw Sam asleep with his headphones on, a low thrum of music in his ears, while Chase's bed was empty, "just woke up."

"What's on your mind?"

Lin rolled over and faced the wall, "I think there's something weird happening at the school."

"What do you mean?"

"Like," Lin yawned but continued talking, "there's been so many reincarnates here. And they seem to all be talking to me! And then there's this weird guy in my economics class and he's really weird. He keeps arguing with me and is just really mean to me."

"How?"

"Called me a Creole Bastard." Lin yawned and snuggled deeper into his blankets, "I haven't been called that before. A few other people in the class roasted him for it, but it just felt weird...like I've heard that before."

"Was is that John Adams guy?"

"No. The new guy I was telling you about," Lin slurred out, "He hates me for some reason. I think he's friends with Jackson or someone like that. They all seem to hate me for no reason."

"You could always have one of those other reincarnates fight them for you?"

And Lin was laughing, "Oh please,  _'Mr. Washington will you please fist fight Andrew Jackson and Ronald James in Denny's Parking Lot for me?'_. Yeah, that would go over great!" 

"Definitely!" George laughed, "Well, I'm going back to bed. See ya later in the morning. Oh yeah, don't forget, Mom and Dad are coming back next weekend so we're going out to dinner with them. Don't forget!"

"Why do you think I forgot?"

"Did you remember?"

"No."

"Exactly." George chuckled, "Now, Goodnight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ~anyone catching that I ship HamBury because I'm T R A S H ~


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait guys! 
> 
> You can tell how much I hate Andrew Jackson in this chapter btw ;)

"Thank you, Tallmadge," Washington said offhandedly as he accepted the stack of tests from his TA. He glanced up and saw the way Tallmadge held out his phone towards him, "What's wrong?"

The TA blinked as his superior accepted the phone, "I noticed a few more names added to the Government's Reincarnate Record."

"Oh really?"

The record was designed to keep all the names of reincarnated individuals in one place. Many had thought it to be a breach of privacy, but Washington had disagreed. It helped him find many of his friends, after all.

Tallmadge nodded, "I noticed them this morning. They're from our time and they're from America."

Washington scrolled and his eyes caught the bolded names.

"Oh my God."

"I think you're talking about the closest three names." Tallmadge laughed to himself, "I've already looked. They go to college here."

"So..." Washington sighed, handing the phone back to his TA before he continued on, "you're telling me that," he held up fingers as he counted off the three names he had read, "Pasty Jefferson," one finger, "Theodsia Burr Jr," a second finger, "and Philip Hamilton," and finally the third, "all go here?"

Tallmadge nodded. "Yes, sir."

"Why does the universe hate me?"

* * *

  
The night air was getting colder as Eliza made her way through the crowd of bodies in marching band uniforms. The stadium was cheering as the as the sports team began to file onto the field for more warm up stretches. Eliza took off her plumed had when she saw Lin sitting by himself, hat off and a bottle of water in his hands as he stared off into space.

"Lin?" Eliza asked as she neared him, "What's wrong?"

He blinked the second she spoke and once he saw her the calm expression he wore shifted into a warm smile that made Eliza melt. He scooted over on the instrument case so she could sit with him, "Oh, it's nothing. I guess I got a bit sidetracked."

Eliza sat down next to him but held eye contact, "You can tell me if something is wrong, you know? I promise I won't bite your head off."

Lin laughed at the mental image, "I don't know. I haven't been sleeping well lately and I guess it's finally starting to show."

"How so?"

"I was sloppy at conducting tonight," He admitted, shoulders sagging, "and I just haven't been focused at all."

Eliza couldn't argue with him. His movements had been a tad sloppy, but she had seen a lot worse during high school. She had also heard Angelica and Sam talking about his lack of usual focus. She pursed her lips, "You just probably need a good nights sleep is all!"

Lin laughed but it was an odd and far away sound. He looked back at the crowd of assembled marching band members. "Yeah, maybe that would work? I sleep, I swear I do, but I just...dream."

And the woman frowned. "If you don't mind me asking...what are they about?"

And the man seemed to curl into himself, the light catching his features and allowing him to look utterly wrecked. Eliza swallowed, she knew those gaunt cheekbones, she knew those dark circles under his eyes, and she knew that glassy look in his eyes.

"How many essays are you up to now?" Eliza asked, hands curling into the emerald vest of her husband's clothing. The newspaper brandishing the new addition of The Federalist was in front of them, "Please. Tell me, talk to me. That would be enough."

Alexander swallowed and looked up with the same wrecked expression, "Forty-three...but there's still so much work to do."

Eliza almost didn't hear the way Lin said, "Yellow skies and cannon fire."

* * *

 

"My life is supposed to be migraine free this time around!" Thomas yelled at the ceiling of the abandoned classroom. James was beside him, waiting patiently in the dark, "And it's not! I feel cheated. I'm suing! Wait...who would I even sue?"

James let out a sigh and rubbed his forehead, "I can take you back to the dorm, you know. Ludington is going to be pissed if she finds out you're napping in her classroom."

"Maybe she'll kill me and I can a restart."

"You're hopeless."

"My best feature!"

"I'm calling Aaron," James sighed as he moved towards the door, "and then we're going to drag you to the dorm. Understood?"

A mock salute and a muffled, "Yes, Sir" was all that was heard as James left the room.

And all was silent. Thomas kept his eyes closed as he breathed in the cool air of the empty classroom. It was nice, such a big room to himself. Ludington didn't have any classes today so he could lounge all he wanted, James be damned!

A door clicked open and closed and Thomas threw a hand towards it, "James, I don't care! I'm waiting here!"

"Uh..." A new voice said, obviously confused as Thomas sat up and turned towards it, "my name isn't James?"

Thomas squinted at the figure in the darkness as if it would help him identify the newcomer any easier. It didn't. He had no idea of who this was. He held the heel of his palm into his forehead as a stabbing pain worked its way into his skull, "Who are you?"

"Phillip." The newcomer said, Thomas heard a rattling and recognized the bottle. "Here, it helps with headaches. I literally got it from Walmart so you don't have to worry about popping someone else's pills."

"Thanks."

It wasn't until Thomas had already taken the headache medicine that Phillip moved closer. He could make out a puff of wild curls on the boy's shoulders. Thomas blinked and finally said, "Why are you even here, kid?"

"I've been looking for you, Mr. Jefferson."

"Another history nut?" He ground out, "I've said no interviews or questions until I have my degree."

Phillip blinked and smiled, Thomas could see the white gleam of straight and sharp-looking teeth, "Oh no, I'm not going to ask you anything. I wanted to help you."

"You didn't answer my question, who are you?"

"Philip Hamilton, son of Alexander Hamilton." The boy said as if he had practiced multiple times, Thomas wouldn't be surprised if he did, "And I know where your daughter Patsy is."

* * *

"Look what the cat dragged in," George King perked up at the slick voice growling behind him and he turned to face the newcomer, "can't say I'm surprised  _your majesty_."

George couldn't hold back the sly grin as he caught sight of the man who had spoken to him. He blinked and ignored the way Sam grabbed at his sleeve, a warning gesture against doing anything huge in the quad. "Isn't it a bit weird to refer to yourself in the third person, King Andrew?" 

Andrew Jackson narrowed his eyes as plenty of people around the quad laughed at the nickname. He had been torn apart enough for his past life, but this one seemed to have no redeeming qualities. He was just, in the politest way possible, an utter dick to everyone he wasn't friends with. "Don't play dumb, George."

"Excuse me?" 

Sam was pulling him back, but that didn't stop Jackson from stalking forward, eyes narrowed and a murderous expression on his face. "You heard me. I know you were. Don't think just because you're rich you're untouchable."

People were starting to gather and Sam tugged on his sleeve one last time, "George, come on. Ignore this as-"

"Shut your  _dog_ up." Jackson snarled suddenly and George felt Sam lurch back as if he had been struck, "Come on. I know who you are. It's not hard." People were beginning to whisper, pointing back and forth between Jackson and George. Jackson saw this and grinned, he gestured to George and called out, "Come on people, he's King George the Third!"

George froze as the world went quiet. He gritted his teeth and eventually looked up, smiling wide and with more teeth than necessary, "You must think you're so smart, then  _Andy."_

"So, I'm right." 

"Yep," and Geroge would practically see the phones being whipped out to Google who the hell Geroge had been. He blinked and simply finished with, "but what's the big deal? People hated you and you're just a douche again in this life. I had some mental issues later and life but you don't see me being a douche now."

Jackson stormed forward and grabbed George by the front of his red sweatshirt. He was hauled up and George had to stand on his toes to not fall, " _Listen here you little shit-"_

"Ah, ah!" Geroge grinned, despite his view of Jackson's raised fist ready to hit him, "You don't want to get security called, do you?" 

"I'll take my chances." 

Ironically, George would think later, he didn't feel the pain of being punched in the face until much later. 

But, he did feel himself hitting the ground roughly as Jackson dropped him. George looked up as Jackson went to hit him again, but this time, someone else grabbed his arm. Sam had latched himself onto the larger man's arm, tugging him backward from hitting Geroge again. Jackson blinked in shock as seeing the way Sam had wrapped himself around Jackson in his attempts to save his friend. 

"Don't hurt him!" Sam growled, tugging him back as the crowd of onlookers grew larger, "Stop it!" 

A backhand sent the smaller man tumbling to the stones below. Sam felt his hands scratch on the rocks and could taste blood in his mouth. George growled and went to stand but then, at that moment, a very loud and authoritative voice cut the commotion. 

"Jackson!" It was sharp and the man in question snapped to a full military attention, "What the hell is going on here?!" 

George's head snapped around to see none other than Chase Lee parting the crowd like he was someone of administration, or like Moses, either worked. Chase looked  _pissed_. There was no way to explain it other than that. Except, George noticed the way he seemed to hold himself like a different person. More straight, more confident, older. It was a military hold. 

And George realized what had happened.

"Oh, it's just you." Jackson relaxed but all the onlookers were staring at the spectacle like they knew it was a horrible decision to think Lee couldn't do anything. "I thought it was someone important."

"Ah, so you think you're important just because you were a general? A hero in a bullshit war?" Chase stalked forwards and the crowd was beginning to cheer for Chase to go ahead and let him have it, "Well, newsflash. You're not the only Major General here." 

"And who were you?" 

"Charles Lee," Chase growled and he stalked forward until he was face to face with Jackson, teeth bared as if he was expecting a fight, "and by seniority," the crowd had practically lunged forward to hear what he said next, "that makes you my bitch." 

And everyone went wild. 

Jackson growled out a mouthful of swears as he took a step back in disgust. He went to say a few words, but it was too late. He had lost this encounter. George stood, feeling the now tender part of his jaw with his fingers and frowning once he realized that he'd bruise. Jackson had backed up to the edge of the circle as Chase helped Sam to his feet and George blinked when he saw the blood dripping from a cut lip. 

"Clear the field!" Someone shouted from the back, "Clear the field! Washington is coming!" 

And they all ran.

* * *

 

Peggy had nearly tackled them, jumping on Lafayette's back as they screamed about a new addition to the reincarnate list. Lafayette bent forward to allow Peggy to stay on their back but their eyes followed the yellow case of their phone. 

"Look!" Peggy screeched, "Look! Look! We have someone new!" 

"Hold still, hold still!" Lafayette laughed as their eyes read the names visible from where the screen allowed, they blinked when they saw the addition, "Wait, oh my god. No way! Charles Lee of all people remembers?!" 

"I knew you'd freak out!" Peggy flailed as their legs wrapped around Lafayette's waist to keep their balance and position, "Come on, we have to go tell everyone it's official!"

"You're not getting off, are you?" 

"No," Peggy replied off, holding their arm out like they were holding a sword, "Onward, noble steed. To Washington!"

* * *

 

"I always seem to get there too late!" Washington groaned as he flopped back in his desk chair, Maria and Eliza laughing at his annoyed expression, "All I want is to keep this campus safe from infighting!" 

"No," Eliza grinned, "you just want to shove yourself between two fighters to assert dominance like you did when Thomas and Alexander would, um, throw hands during a cabinet meeting?"

Maria laughed and Washington just groaned into his hands. Maria tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and finally said, "From what someone was saying when we got there it was Jackson was antagonizing some people and he hit them. Apparently, it got broken up by a new reincarnate."

"Really?" Eliza asked, frowning as she tried to recall the list. She hadn't looked at in almost two weeks, so anyone could be on it now, "Did they say who?" 

"Couldn't catch it," Maria sighed, shrugging, "Sorry." 

Eliza went to say something else but then the door slammed open to reveal a sweating Lafayette with a smiling Peggy on their back. Peggy jumped down and squealed, "Have you guys seen who the new reincarnate is?! We know him!"

Washington raised an eyebrow as Maria and Eliza shared a look. Eliza blinked, "Who is it?" 

"Chase Lee!" Peggy shouted, throwing their yellow phone at Eliza, "Is Charles Lee!" 

Eliza's "Dear God,", Maria's "Who the hell is that?" and Washington's groan echoed into the office space at the same time as Lafayette and Peggy shared smiles. 

* * *

 

Lin snapped up from his bunk the second the door slammed open to reveal a very haggard looking George, a bleeding Sam, and a very pissed off looking Chase. Lin blinked and jumped down from his bed, going towards the three, "What the hell happened?" 

"Jackson." The three said in varying tones of annoyance, anger, and pain. 

He buried the rage that burned in his chest as he forced the two injured ones to sit on George's bed. He blinked, grabbing the stashed first aid kit he kept for emergencies. He turned back to Chase and blinked, "What happened?!"  

"Well," Chase frowned, scratching at his dark hair, "I can't really answer the beginning part...and what I can won't make sense until you know."

George frowned and sighed, "Jackson called me out for being King George the Third and I confirmed what he said but then I said some stuff back. Then, he punched me in the face."

"What?!"

"And then Sam tried to stop him, so Jackson hit him too."

Lin growled out, "That dick," as he knelt down in front of Sam, holding Sam's face with his free hand as he wiped away the stray blood. Sam went beet red but then he just laughed a bit, "I didn't think he'd actually hit me."

"He'll do anything just to look tough." Lin said to them and they nodded in agreement, "Anyway, Chase, what happened with you?"

"Well, I came in, told him about my new status as a reincarnate, and he backed up."

Lin paused and turned to face him, Sam's face still in his hands. "Wait...what?"

Chase smiled, "I kind of...woke up yesterday. That's why I didn't come back here. I was getting certified in town and just slept there. It's weird...and sudden and I just know so much more now."

"Who were you?"

"Charles Lee."

Lin blinked at the name and his brow furrowed as if he remembered something about it. The expression was gone as soon as it had come. "Do you want us to call you Charles or Chase?"

"Charles...if you don't mind."

"Never would." Lin smiled, "Well, Charles, would you go take George to get some ice? He'll be black and blue tomorrow for sure and maybe we can stop some of the inevitable bitching."

They ignored George's outraged "Hey!" and they all laughed instead.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for sticking with this! I'm open for suggestions and comments on what you guys want to see! 
> 
> (Hambury is happening, this ship needs more love.......also, Leggy (laf x Pegs) anyone???)


	6. Chapter 6

Angelica sighed as she watched the video of the fight on Hercules' phone. She shook her head and threaded her needle, "Honestly, it's like Jackson is trying to get himself expelled or something. If administration hears about that then he's going to get kicked out. This is an Ivy, they don't want any bad publicity."

Hercules nodded, pocketing his phone as he looked down at the sweater he was knitting, "King and Seabury haven't come forward and no one is dumb enough to show administration the video. Jackson gets no punishment so he can just do it again."

"His roommate is Ronald James."

"And?"

She looked up from her needlework, a smile playing on her lips, "A little birdie told me that he's James Reynolds."

He looked up, frowning as his skin practically crawled with the name. It wasn't right, he remembered the name. He hated the name and the man. He gritted his teeth as he remembered:

_"Alexander," Hercules called as he stepped inside his friend's home, eyes wide as he realized the absence of people and noise. He swallowed, this household was never supposed to be quiet, but, considering the pamphlet crushed between his calloused fingers, he wouldn't blame it. "Alexander!"_

_A noise from the drawing room perked Hercules' interest as he turned to face an utterly haggard looking Alexander. He frowned. Alexander blinked in shock at the sight of his old friend and simply frowned, "Hercules? What are you doing here?"_

_"Is it true?" Hercules held up the crumpled pamphlet as he continued, "Is it true?!" Alexander was silent and for once, to Hercules, it was enough, "How could you do this to Eliza?"_

_"Herc-"_

_"No, Alexander," Hercules snarled, "How could you do this? You were the best of us."_

_"I just..." Alexander seemed at a loss for words before he hung his head and just let his shoulders sag, "I was lonely...and so was she."_

_"Alexander-"_

_"They're gone," Alexander whispered, "Eliza left and took the children with her. And I'm here. I've lost everything...and I can't fix it."_

_Hercules frowned. He had been expecting Alexander to defend his actions in some way that would have let him get the slip. He remembered the false charge of embezzling being whispered through various political circles, but Hercules knew his friend to be a good man. No one else believed in Hamilton like Hercules did._

_"Either option would have destroyed us," Alexander choked out and Hercules stepped forward, "Eliza can't be a poor man's wife...my children can't starve. They're too good for any suffering and I've caused too much of the thing they don't need."_

_And Hercules hugged him_ tight _. He felt the moment Alexander tensed and then the next moment where he relaxed into shakes and sobbing. Hercules could never defend infidelity, but that didn't mean his friend didn't need a shoulder to lean on._

_"It's going to be okay, Alexander," Hercules promised, never letting go, "It's going to take some time, but it can only go up."_

_Alexander only sobbed in return._

_"John would have been proud that you tried to save your family."_

_And Alexander broke right there._

Hercules blinked from the memory with a frown before looking up at Angelica, "What do you need me to do?"

* * *

 

"Thomas" Burr growled as he followed the former president, "what does this kid have? And why are you dragging me of all people along?"

"Trust me," Thomas replied, following Philip across the quad before pausing outside a large dorm building that Thomas had never entered, "it's important to both of us."

Philip threw open the door and instead of going for the stairs or even the dorm rooms, he went for the community space dominated by couches instead of people. Burr blinked, "Um...kid, who exactly are you?"

"Philip Hamilton." The boy spoke like Burr should have known, like the information wasn't life-shattering and or altering, "And I have two people you two need to see."

Burr went to question it but then there was a simple moment where a woman shouted, "Pip! There you are! Pat and I have been waiting forever!"

Burr paused. He knew that voice. He remembered that voice. He remembered the last time that voice had spoken to him. And he practically lunged forward to see the woman.

The two women waiting for Philip were seated on one of the couches, the smaller dark skinned one had her legs strewn over the lap of a woman with a long skirt, long sleeves, and a violet hijab wrapped around her head. Burr blinked as he approached them, he felt numb and could vaguely hear a buzzing.

"Theo?" He whispered, tears gathering in his eyes as the dark skinned girl removed her legs from the other girl and stood, "Oh my god, is it really you?"

"Hey, Dad," Theodosia the second laughed. They didn't get the chance to say anything else because both had flung themselves into a hug.

Burr was shaking, hands wrapped around his daughter as if she would slip through his fingers again. He remembered waiting on the docks for her ship to return, he remembers simply standing and returning home when he realized she wouldn't be. Theo was crying and laughing at the same time. The two pulled apart just in time to see Thomas shake his daughter's hand at Patsy's own asking.

"You're really here." Thomas laughed. Philip had perched himself on the arm of the couch with a small grin, "Why did it take you so long to find us?"

Theo looked at Patsy with her face flushed while Philip laughed awkwardly. Patsy rolled her eyes and decided to explain, "Well, we were working out our own relationship details."

Burr caught it faster than Thomas did, but when the former president saw the joined hands of the three he smiled.

"Congratulations." Thomas and Burr said at the same time, but Thomas was the only one who continued, "But, Philip, you do realize that you get to have the Dad Talk from both of us now, right?"

"Oh shit."

* * *

 

"I can't believe it," Eliza said to herself, staring at the Reincarnate List on her phone, "King George is actually on here."

She had seen the news this morning. The world had been going crazy at the fact that the American Founding Fathers were finally returning, but now more figures from the eighteenth century as well? It was amazing for some, interesting to most, while the rest didn't give a damn. Eliza was just happy that the school kept all of the news media outlets out. It'd be hell otherwise.

She closed the internet on her phone and slipped the phone into her bag but, she stopped instead of going forwards. She turned towards the storage closet beside her. The building was done with classes for the day, but someone was in the supply closet.

And they were crying.

Eliza had babysat enough children in this life and raised enough children in her past one to know what the difference between fear and pain sobbing sounded like.

This sobbing, on the other hand, was some horrific mix of both.

And she wasn't going to let that continue.

She marched over to the wood door and opened it slowly, not wanting to scare the occupant. The occupant had their hands clasped at the sides of their face and fingers pressing into their hair, while their body remained hunched over in a ball as if to protect themselves from being hurt further. Her eyes widened in shock when she saw who it was.

"Oh my god," Eliza said to herself as she knelt down in front of the sobbing figure. She placed her hands on their shoulders before saying anything, "Lin, what's wrong?"

Lin looked up, face flushed and tears dripping down his face. Eliza blinked and couldn't help but think of her husband at that very moment. He made the same horrified expression when she had caught him crying in his office, sobbing as he was trapped in some horrible and war-torn memory, all caused by accidentally cutting himself on a letter opener. Eliza frowned and blinked herself free.

"Eliza?"

"Lin, tell me what's wrong."

"I have a headache." He sobbed out, "And...and...I remember the island."

He dissolved into pained sobs as Eliza held him to her chest. She was silent with her own horror. This wasn't how remembering went. Something was wrong and Lin was suffering for it.

* * *

 

"What did you need me here for?" Sam asked as he took his seat in the cafe across from James Madison, "I got your text. You said it was an emergency? I don't see any of your other asshat friends with you, so, is something wrong?"

Madison let out a sigh, waving over the barista as she called out his name. Once his tea was placed in front of him, he simply said, "I think I've figured out what's wrong with Lin, well Alexander's, remembering."

"And why would you tell me?"

"You're one of the closest people to him," Madison purred, refraining from adding Because you're the only one of them who hasn't realized who you were, but continuing on normally, "and you're going to have to be aware of what's happening to him."

Sam frowned, "What do you mean?"

He slid Sam his phone with the newest group chat messages on the screen.

 **Ang(** **hel** **)lica** **:** Lin's been getting worse

 **YellowSunshineChild:** No shit sherlock

 **RootyTootyPointNShooty** : Peggy this is serious

 **YellowSunshineChild:** an opinion?!

 **MacaroniHo:** that no one is getting shot for?!?!?! 

 **Eliiiiza:** play nice all of you

 **Eliiiiza:** but Ang is right. Lin is getting worse.

 **Tur(n)tles:** Lin! Protection! Squad!

 **ActualBaguette:** John...we aren't friends with him

 **herCULES MULLIGAN:** And king boi would probably kill us.

 **Tur(n)tles:** true true

Sam blinked as he finished reading the messages. "Well, what does this have to do with me?"

"Well," Madison started, but then he shut his mouth as if he didn't like what he was planning on saying, but after a few moments he finally decided. "as I said before, you're one of the closest people to him and he's going to reach out. As much as you think of us as, well, asshats, we do care about him."

"Why? You helped ruin his life."

And Madison said nothing. 

* * *

 

"Are you sure?" Washington asked with eyebrows raised as he glanced down at Maria. He didn't stop his walk through the campus though, he did have somewhere to be, "I haven't heard of a situation like that before."

Maria shook her head with a sigh, "James texted it to me after he finished talking to Sam. And honestly, it makes sense to why Link isn't remembering like he should be."

"So, you're insinuating that since Alexander should have died multiple times in his past life, Lin can only remember parts at a time?" Washington blinked and when Maria nodded, he let out a sigh, "Well, I guess it makes sense. At this rate, any of us would have realized. Especially with so many other reincarnates from around his lifetime. He should have realized by now."

"What should we do about this?" Maria glanced up at the Professor before glancing forward at the nearing quad, "Some people are starting to get suspicious about our groups' interest in Lin. And that can't end well if  _some people_ realize who he was before he does. Remember Lincoln?"

Who didn't? He had been reincarnated in the sixties, but he had been murdered by a mob of anti-segregation Southerners before he even had the chance to remember. Washington swallowed and shook his head, "You're right. I'll...think of something. I think I know someone who should be able to help us."

"Who?" 

"George!" A woman called from the quad and Maria looked over to see a woman in a blue suit waving them over. Her mass of curly dark hair was cropped short and as they neared her she called out, " _Mi alma,_ why do you never show up on time? I've been cat called too many times."

Washington looked thunderous but the woman only laughed. She stepped up and Maria blinked in shock as she had to look  _down_ at the woman. She laughed, "I think they were all horrified when I called them out for it. Angry Spanish yelling seemed to do the trick."

"I don't deserve you."

"You're entirely right." She smiled, reaching towards his tie and pulling him down to her level to kiss him on the nose. "Oh, is this...Maria Reynolds?" 

Maria smiled and the woman smiled back once she had released Washington. "Yes, yes it is ma'am."

"Oh, don't call me that," the woman laughed, she handed her messenger bag to Washington to hold as spoke, "call me Martha."

* * *

 

Peggy hadn't snuck away from the party empty handed. They laughed to themselves, escaping down the hallway with a large bottle of tequila hidden under their yellow coat. They continued on, dodging past drunk people and couples quickly nearing third base. They entered the far and mostly empty stairwell with a grin. A swig of the alcohol later and they were on their way, except, there were other voices.

And they were familiar.

"What did you want to show me, Reynolds?" Jackson huffed, Peggy tried not to laugh at the slight slur to his words, "I'm trying to enjoy the party before security shows up."

"Shh," one voice of Ronald James piped up and Peggy blinked. He remembered. Oh dear. They had to tell Maria and quickly, but they couldn't leave the stairwell silently, not without warning the other two below, so they decided to listen, "you know that Lin kid?" There was a pause and Peggy could tell there was already a nod, "Well, I think I have an idea on how to make sure he stops being a bother."

Jackson let out a loud sigh before he finally said, "He'd be like a message to those other freshmen that think they're all high and mighty. What's your plan?" 

"So, when I saw your fight with King and his pet, I saw he wasn't there," Reynolds said lowly, Peggy practically had to stretch over the railing to hear them, but that didn't matter to them as long as they weren't spotted, "so I figured maybe I could pull in a favor with some of the guys and they could...rough him up a bit."

"You really don't like him do you?" 

"He's  _Alexander Hamilton_ ," Reynolds practically spat, "I want to make him pay."

"Sound reasonable," Jackson replied with a shrug.

Reynolds laughed "and if that doesn't work, then we can always go for a more threatening approach."

There was a small shuffling noise and Jackson suddenly shouted  _in horror_ , "What the hell, are you crazy?"

Jackson wasn't hiding his alarm at something so Peggy leaned forward further to see what Reynolds was doing. They blinked in shock once they saw what Reynolds was doing. They swallowed and stared wide eyed at the gun in Reynolds' hand. Reynolds said something but they didn't hear it over the sound of their heart pounding in their ears. Jackson seemed to be horrified as well, but he glanced upwards.

And for a split second, the two made wide-eyed eye contact. 

Peggy ran and he followed. There was another set of footsteps getting further away and it didn't take a genius to realize that Reynolds ran away. Peggy managed to make it up the next flight to the door they had come through, but Jackson had longer legs. 

He slammed turned them around and slammed them bodily into the wall. 

He was pale and shaking, but his grip on their arms was tight and painful. Peggy couldn't get away. 

"I didn't know he had that," Jackson whispered frantically, "I swear I didn't. I don't want him dead.  _I swear_."

Peggy blinked and said nothing, but that seemed to send him over the edge into some horrible mix of panic and hysteria. He slammed them into the wall again and practically shouted, "Promise me, you won't say a word to anyone. I didn't know. I don't want him dead. Please!"

He went to do it again but Peggy drove a knee into his groin and shoved him away with an annoyed hiss. He looked up from his position on the floor and Peggy practically spat, "I know you didn't. I'm not stupid. He's crazy and either you tell security or I will." Jackson blinked in shock, "Am I understood? You can hate Lin all you want but the second you threaten his life is when you've gone too far."

Jackson went to get up but Peggy stood their ground, "And if you  _ever_ touch me like that again, I will not hesitate to kick your ass. Am I understood?"

He nodded and Peggy simply left. But, the second they were out of eyesight they sprinted to the nearest restroom and vomited until they could stop shaking with fear.

* * *

 

"My lovely darlings," Mrs. King cried as she embraced her sons, she kissed both of them on their foreheads before laughing, "how is college? I hope Columbia is treating you well! I expect only the best out of my alma mater!" 

"We're just great, mom," George laughed, but the second he was free his father practically picked him up in his bear hug, "dad, you're strangling me!"

Mr. King laughed and set George down before doing the same thing to Lin, "Am I not allowed to hug my sons? I haven't seen you in forever! Travelling Europe doesn't exactly give you the best way to see your kids."

Lin laughed when his dad put him down. "How's business? Isn't that why you guys had to go?"

"Of course," Mrs. King replied, "can't have some bad deals ruining my company now can we?" 

"Never." George finished. 

Mrs. King turned around and leveled her eyes on her son and frowned, "Now tell me, Georgie, why did you neglect to tell us you were a reincarnate?" 

George didn't answer but Lin only laughed awkwardly, "I guess he didn't want to be British royalty? I mean it must be hell on your private life."

The two parents looked at their adopted son and laughed. 

Mr. King clapped George on the shoulder and grinned, "Well, you see that makes a lot of sense, then. I mean the last thing we need is news cameras everywhere, but hey, at least you have a dual citizenship now!"

"Great, just what I wanted."

"Well," Lin grinned, "at least I'm not the reincarnate. That would be awful, can you imagine? Two lives in your head at once!"

 _Well,_ George thought,  _if you only knew._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the plot thickens! Next update is going to have some big stuff coming! Ship wise and not ;^)))


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The first ship-centric chapter is a go!

Eliza was crying and Philip was flailing in his attempts to escape strangulation via his mother's hug. She held him close, sobbing into his mass of curly hair and over the sounds of her sobs, Patsy and Theo were laughing at their boyfriend. Philip tried to pry himself away but only resulted in Angelica flinging herself at the two and initiating a group hug. Patsy and Theo only continued their laughing.

"If he dies," Patsy smiled as she glanced at her girlfriend, cheeks flushed in laughter, "then it appears our trio is down to two."

"Oh."

Philip managed a muffled yell of, "Don't you dare sing Disney songs without me!"

Thomas just shook his head and ran a hand through his mass of curls. Patsy smiled at her father, she didn't have to look up. She was easily six feet tall without any aid of heels, while Theo stood small at five feet. Thomas frowned, "But really, Patsy. A Hamilton? I can respect a Burr, but the idea of my own flesh and blood...being with a Hamilton is," he shuddered, "abhorrent."

"Oh please," Theo cut in, eyebrows raised with mischief, "I heard many things about you from my father, and trust me. If any two out of that government was going to start having hate sex, then it would be you two."

"Excuse-"

"I could see it." Eliza laughed, finally releasing her son as she wiped at her tears, "Now that I think of it, I could definitely see it." She glanced over to Maria, "I'd love to have seen that pamphlet."

Maria laughed, "It would still read like a Dear Penthouse Letter." Her voice dropped into something akin to Alexander's, the accent being minced but it got the point across, " _Dear America, I never thought this would happen to me._ "

Angelica broke off howling with laughter while Thomas felt his cheeks heat up in return, "I hate all of you."

* * *

 

John furrowed his brow as he watched the debate end. Lin and Lafayette winning yet again and knocking out their competition. They had taken the first place spot for their For argument on the American Financial System and soon enough would battle out the best Against argument first debate of the year. John narrowed his eyes when he saw Jackson approach Lin, who was gathering his own papers. Jackson said something, but thanks to the stunned silence of the room, John heard it just fine.

"Nice debate, Lin," Jackson said simply.

"If you're picking a fight Jackson," Lin replied, not bothering to look at Jackson, "then I'm not biting."

"I'm not." The former President said, he shifted his weight from foot to foot as Lin turned around, "I just wanted...to apologize." Lin raised an eyebrow but Jackson only continued, surprisingly tense yet shaky, "For being an ass. Like...I had no right."

"You really don't do this, do you?" Lin questioned, voice sharp and John blinked. It sounded _exactly_ like how Alexander had talked to Charles Lee before and after Monmouth. John blinked again, clearing the thought from his head, "Or are you just doing this because you have an audience?"

Jackson frowned and looked down at his shoes, "No...no...It just came to my attention recently that...life's too short to be a dick to _you_."

Lin blinked and seemed to weigh his options for a moment. Then he simply held out a hand. Jackson blinked at it before shaking it. But, there was a small moment of peace before Lin just smiled, something dark and sharp and John was definitely reminded of Alexander smiling as he charged into battle. Lin spoke slowly but loud enough for everyone to hear, "I'm a forgiving person, but I'm not forgiving _you_. So, I'm going to say this once, this is your last chance. Ruin it and I'll deal with you."

He tore himself free from Jackson's hand and simply walked out of the room to nothing but stunned silence.

Lafayette glanced back at John, eyes wide and John couldn't do anything but stare in shock.

* * *

 

Aaron Burr has always sorted his days into good days, bad days, and other. He's done it since his first life. And continued the habit well into his second, third, seventh,  _tenth_. He was at the point where any one would lose track, but he never did. He organized the lives and he remembered all of them. Regrettably. 

His Good Days were mostly like this: 

Having best friends (first (kind of), second, seventh, eighth, ninth, and eleventh). Getting married (the only thing with every life, though the reasons were sparse and rarely for love). Having children (first, second, fourth, sixth, tenth, eleventh). 

The good things tended to stop there. After all, Aaron Burr didn't get happy endings. He was sure of that after his second life ended in a house fire where his entire family including himself died in. He remembered that memory clearly. Again, regrettably. 

His Bad Days were mostly everything his Good Days were not. But there was always something  _there_. He had seen every war since his first death. Every American spat. Every American war he had fought in, well mostly  _died in_ , but still. He was there for the Civil War, Spanish-American, Mexican-American, both of the World Wars, Korea, Vietnam. He remembered all of them. He hated himself for it. Everything he had done. 

But, his Other category only held one thing. 

And it always seemed to bite him in the ass in every life. 

Other Days: Alexander Hamilton. 

His first clear memory in every life seemed to be always- _They're counting and he's going to die. Alexander is going to shoot and Theodosia will be an orphan. He's going to shoot. I'm going to die. Oh my god, no, no. I can't do this. This is wrong. These were dumb and immature. What happened to us?! Alexander, please, oh my god Please! It was already too late by then, he'd reached his end pace and shot._ _And Alexander stared at him with wide eyes and gun in the air. He went to say something, anything, but he only coughed out a small amount of blood before crumpling_ -dueling Alexander.

He remembered that best of all. 

But, that wasn't even the icing on the cake. 

He had fallen for the stupid man, the idiot who wrote too much and couldn't shut up. He had fallen for the man who didn't think with his head, but with his heart. He had fallen for the man who tore Aaron apart. 

Every life he had traveled to find him when he could (being a slave in his second life didn't allow such liberty). To apologize. To do  _something_. But Alexander had never appeared. He had never shown up, written himself into existence. Never. 

But now, on Aaron Burr's twelfth life, Alexander had come back. In the form of a bipolar and fidgety man by the name of Lin. It was laughable because he had fallen for Lin as well. He never got closer, but  _god_ did he want to. He wanted to be with Lin because he was Lin, but then again his love for Alexander had never stopped. It was like holding onto two intertwined live wires and never letting go. 

Aaron Burr was in love with both of them. 

And he couldn't help but remind himself of it when he saw the way Lin was on his knees, shaking his own body where it had crumpled in the music building hallway. Lin was yelling something at him, dark hair loose and framing his face as his dark eyes betrayed nothing but terror. Aaron blinked and sat up, despite Lin's protests. 

"What the  _fuck_ happened?!" Lin shouted the second Aaron blinked at him. Lin's hands were shaking and he sounded truly scared, "Aaron, please, what happened?" 

"I-I...guess I had a flashback." He said simply. It was true. He wasn't sure what had triggered it, but he was pretty sure it was a shout of some color and then a slam of door that sounded too much like a gunshot and then he was back in Vietnam. Aaron blinked himself away from  _that specific_ undertow and looked at Lin again, "Happens sometimes."

"Like that?" Lin said, sitting back on his folded legs. He sounded breathless but continued to ramble. "Jesus. Like...I can't imagine. Jesus."

 _Why?_ Aaron wanted to scream. Why couldn't Alexander just remember? Why did fate have to do this to him? Alexander was so close but Lin was closer. Aaron wanted both and couldn't have either. He'd have to destroy one to have the other. It wouldn't be fair. And for some reason, that filled him with rage. At what? He really couldn't tell. But he was angry. 

And oddly enough, Aaron Burr may have always been cool-headed all around in all of his lives, but when he got truly angry, he'd lash out. His duel with Alexander was enough to prove that. But it was the same in every life. 

And that's what he found himself doing now. As he clambered to his feet and yelling at  _Lin_. Aaron couldn't catch his own words or stop, but he just continued to vent off his frustration, his anger, his guilt, his shame. And every damn emotion he hadn't shown because he had always been so afraid of  _doing what he did to Alexander to someone else._ Lin just seemed to shrink back. Eyes widening as Aaron yelled. 

"-You don't understand. You will never understand because you know what?!" Aaron continued on, "You never remember. You can't wake up. You've let everything go to hell, Alexander, because you were so stupid to accept. You never thought of someone else. You-you ruined me!" 

"Aaron-"

"Shut the hell up, you can't say anything. Stop trying. Stop trying to contribute. Stop being you. Just please...remember." Aaron's shoulder dropped the second that last word left him and the realization hit him instantly. 

Lin just stared at him. Dark eyes wide and mouth moving as if he wanted to say something but couldn't. Then Aaron saw the building tears in his eyes and before Aaron could do anything, Lin turned and fled. 

_"Lin has a crush on you," John had teased, drunk off his ass as he poked Aaron in the ribs. Peggy had snuck off with a bottle of alcohol and it was now the two of them at this part, "I can see it. He is always giggly and blushing."_

_"I doubt it."_

_"I can see it."_

_"How?"_

_"That was how I was around Alexander." John sighed, finishing off his drink, "Make him happy, Aaron. Make him happy."_

And Aaron's worst fear came true.

* * *

Honestly, with a number of parties going on lately, Thomas would exist solely as a hangover or a drunk. No in between, a hellish existence that could never be explained. He could feel the heat of the morning sun glowing gold through his window. He glanced over at the bunk in the room where James and Aaron slept. They weren't there. Neither had gone to the party last night, so Thomas really didn't know where they were.  

And, piece by piece, Thomas realized some things about his surroundings.  

First, his clothes were scattered on the floor.  

Second, from what he could see of his chest, he saw an utterly embarrassing amount of hickeys and bite marks that continued to go down past the sheet.  

He swallowed as he turned to see number three. His cheeks were heating up and Thomas was praying it was someone who wouldn't be out for blood when they woke up. From what he remembered- _hands on his chest and a mouth at his neck, cloth against cloth as they grinded for friction, there was a smell of alcohol and the feeling of dried tears-_ Thomas realized it had been a drunk hook up.

And finally, Lin was in his bed. 

Had Thomas been not hungover and more aware, he would have fallen out of bed with a shout of alarm. Someone was going to kill him! But, since a hangover was currently plaguing his body, he just stared, eyes wide and mouth open, much resembling a fish out of the water. 

Lin moved in his sleep, his dark hair soft against Thomas' side and he draped an arm against Thomas' chest. The Virginian didn't blush, he just smiled softly. There was a small voice in his head screaming at him to wake him up or leave, just get out of bed. But, Thomas shoved it down. He couldn't help it. Lin's eyes fluttered for a moment and Thomas thought he was going to wake up. But, he didn't. 

And for the first time in all of his lifetimes, Thomas Jefferson didn't pull away. 

He just smiled down at Lin, not because this was Alexander Hamilton, but because this was Lin. 

And the way his heart seemed to flutter in his chest was more than enough to tell him he was utterly screwed.

* * *

Washington sat across from Peggy, a hand running absentmindedly across his jaw as he stared at them. His wife was next to him, staring at the student in horror. Peggy looked at the hands, trembling slightly as they took in the information. 

Peggy gathered themself and finally whispered, "Security didn't find anything?" 

"I'm afraid not," Washington said slowly, "security turned James' dorm and car upside down and didn't find anything. Are you sure you saw him with a gun? I'm not belittling you, I believe you Peggy, but are you sure? You had been drinking when you called me."  

"Mr. Washington," Peggy started, stopped, then started again before they finally realized what they wanted to say, "I'm sure. Jackson could tell you if he wasn't scared shitless. We both saw the gun and Reynolds-sorry, _Ronald_   _James_  wanted to kill Lin. Please, believe me." 

"I do." Both turned to see Martha Washington stand from her perch on her husband's desk, "I've worked cases with less evidence than that and  _won_. We could nail him, but the problem is that he knows that security is watching him. He's going to be careful from now on, so, we need to keep this to ourselves. If someone found out, they could have this campus under martial law. And trust me, we don't need panic at all. We just have to catch him when he's not being careful." 

"And without Jackson on his side..." Washington said to no one.

"That makes him even more dangerous," Peggy finished. 

* * *

Madison knows something is off the second he goes into the dorm. He sees it in the way Aaron is lying on his bottom bunk, facing the wall and not talking. He's curled around himself and Madison knows guilt when he sees it. Thomas, on the other hand, is lounging on his bed, which is draped in new blankets. Madison sighed and shut the door, drops his back and frowned. 

He crossed his arms and let out an annoyed sigh.

"What the hell did you two do?" 

Neither of them says anything. Aaron doesn't look at him and Madison's frown only gets deeper. Aaron has always looked at him, no matter what life they were living, when he asks a question. Thomas, on the other hand,  _looks_ at him instantly. Thomas has never done that without a warrant (warrant usually being he screwed up in such a way that there is no going back. Ie: resigning from Washington's cabinet). He has never had to. They've always been on such a similar level that they had acted together. 

"Jesus Christ," Madison swore, "I'm going to go gray before I'm even twenty. So, one of you, tell me what the hell you did." 

Neither spoke. 

Madison rolled his eyes and growled out a pretty long string of curses. He turned on his heels and simply said, "Well, I'm going to find out what both of you dumbasses did, then I'm going to fix it." 

And he left.

He came back once, for his umbrella, and then left again.

* * *

 

Lin couldn't keep doing this. He couldn't keep running from his problem. He had crushed on Burr  _hard_ , gotten that thrown in his face, drank to the point he was blacked out way before Max Robes' party even started, jumped into bed with Thomas Jefferson, and was now, standing alone in the rain. He must look like a picture, soaked to the bone and standing alone in a stone courtyard while the rain pours down in silver sheets around him. 

He ran a hand through his hair, slicking it back into his head before he glanced skyward. Cold rain splashed against his face and he inhaled despite it. It seemed like it was going to rain forever. But, that didn't matter. He had survived worse and could survive this too. He just had to wait out his problems and eventually, they should be able to resolve themselves. 

But, there was still the nagging voice in his head that practically screamed  _"Write yourself out. Don't wait for it. You'll throw away your shot."_ but it was drowned out in the hurricane of his own thoughts.

He didn't hear someone shouting his name the first time. 

He looked down from the sky when his name was shouted the third time. The rain pouring down from overhead was cut off suddenly as a large umbrella covered him. Sam looked at him with worry, brows arched in something akin to fear as he shouted over the rain and clap of thunder, "Lin?! Where have you been? We couldn't find you. You missed classes today and George was freaking out."

Lin blinked and felt warming rainwater drip from his lashes and fall down his cheeks. He couldn't tell if he had stopped crying yet. "I was around."

"That doesn't answer the question," Sam sighed, but he paused, sniffing once and frowning, "you smell like alcohol." 

"Hangover." 

"What happened?" 

"Got ripped into by Aaron Burr and was told to stop trying. I thought he was a good guy, you know? Thought I liked him, too...guess it was wasted." Lin laughed, but it was a sad and wet thing. Sam frowned, but Lin only sighed, "I guess I'm kind of sad." 

Sam took a hand off his umbrella handle and grabbed Lin's, "Well, I guess we're all kind of sad."

Lin smiled at that. Remembering how Sam had been kicked out of his home for being gay and how he didn't need them anymore. He was going to rise above them. Lin couldn't stop his smile from getting wider. If Sam could rise above that, then Lin could rise above something as stupid as a crush and an odd connection to Aaron Burr. 

"Yeah," Lin agreed, "though, I think I have an odd idea on how to stop being sad. Just for a little bit." 

"And what is that?" 

"Kiss me in the rain." 

"Is this The Notebook?" 

"It can be," Lin laughed, cupping Sam's face in his hands as thunder clapped overhead. He stared at Sam's wide eyes and widening pupils. And for once he could ignore how he thought about how the  _gray sky should be yellow_ , "just kiss me." 

And Sam did. 

The umbrella dropped and the rain poured down in something akin to a baptism. 

They never noticed the way James Madison passed by, staring in shock as the pieces came together. He sighed and walked away, deciding that Lin La Vega and Samuel Shepherd could be happy before Alexander Hamilton and Samuel Seabury tore them apart. 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rip Aaron. Don't worry, Hamburr is still a ship and not sunk. ;^)))) And all other 
> 
> (not gonna lie, I really didn't like how I wrote this chapter. But hey, I hope you guys like it anyway :)
> 
> ALSO. ALL THIS FEEDBACK IS AMAZING. I LOVE ALL OF Y'ALL. LIKE STAY AWESOME OMG. FEEL FREE TO REQUEST THINGS YOU WANT, I'M ALL EARS. ;)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's angst time children
> 
> ;^)))))))))
> 
> This story is about to get going

_All in all, the act of human reincarnation has been around since the don of the species Homo Sapien. Though, the act hadn't been accepted publically and scientifically until the early 1920's, the earliest of human cave paintings depict it. The science and reasoning behind the ability, through many decades of careful study, has come down on the basis of similar DNA and similar brain structures being recreated and passed down through various genetic chains. The most recent 2016 study through Stanford University studied many certified reincarnates. Many of the forty-seven test subjects were well-known American Historical figures such as George Washington (who chose to leave their personal name and information out of the public study) and Harriet Tubman (Miriam Johnson). The study left the conclusion that all of the studied reincarnates had family genetic ties through DNA matches and that their DNA was similar to the bodies from their past lives. (Note: George Washington's Reincarnate family tie was not through President Washington, seeing as the man had no children from his person. The tie was from his sister Betty Washington-Lewis.)_

_More recently, brain scans have detailed closer understandings on how the phenomenon occurs. The Reincarnated John F. Kennedy (Dr. Cynthia Kennedy-Brighton) revealed through a brain scan that her neurophysiology was an exact match to that of John F. Kennedy's brain scan on September 17th, 1963, a mere two months before he died. More studies are being completed through John Hopkins University and Stanford University to form a hypothesis on the effects of multiple lifetimes on a reincarnated brain. The John F. Kennedy scan showed no brain damage or decay from the bullet that killed him even though the Reincarnate has experienced a lifetime struggle with migraines. There is a debate on whether is a chemical imbalance caused by a change in human instinct due to a crisis or the memory of the previous death. Studies-_

And Angelica closed the textbook with a sigh. She shook her head, she really loved science. She really did, but there were only so many reports a woman could read on reincarnation before she wanted to tear her out. She was questioning herself on why she wanted to major in Reincarnation Science, but she wanted answers. She had read up on trauma and the effects of it on reincarnation, but there wasn't enough in any study to give her a direct answer on what was wrong with Lin.

"I have nothing," She sighed, looking up from the textbook cover (really, why the hell is there a smiling child on it if the only thing that textbook brought on was suffering?) and into the eyes of one Philip Hamilton, "we've been reading for hours. How do we not have anything yet? We've gone through all the studies and there's nothing! How can there be nothing?"

"Because" Philip began, his eyes sparkling, " _the reincarnated population of the world serves to be only 3% of the current total living population._ " Angelica broke off laughing at his impression of John Adams. Honestly, despite that man being a college-level science teacher who got washed up after people realized who he was, he was still just as much of an asshole as he was back then. Philip let out a sigh a moment later, "Besides, we talked to Harriet Tubman and she says she still has a small seizure disorder from her past life. But, apparently, it's better compared to the life she had after being Harriet Tubman and before being herself."

"How does she feel about being put on the twenty dollar bill?"

"She loves it."

"I'm still loving how she scored us a special conversation with her despite her being mayor," Angelica leaned back in her chair with a sigh and ran a hand through her mass of dark curls, "Anyway, what's your hypothesis?"

"Well, don't you think its weird how so many of us from our era are being reincarnated at the same time?" Angelica nodded at the question and Philip continued, "I think it's because so many of us were birthed in the same time. Between our whole group, there are only eleventh months between all of us. There are a few outliers, but like we're all college freshman."

"Makes sense."

"I still don't know about Dad, though," Philip confessed, running a hand over his freckled face, "he should have remembered by now. I don't know if it's a mental block, but Mom said he said something about remembering the island."

Angelica frowned, "From what Madison was saying, he's probably remembering in spurts that go with the periods where he escaped death. So, if I know correctly, he only almost died a few times. There was the time he was sick when he was little-"

"And Grandma died then."

"then the hurricane," Angelica was counting off on her fingers, "there was that mess at Schuylkill River, and maybe a few others?"

"So, from what you're saying, Lin only remembers up until he was twelve? And then he'll remember up until he's seventeen, then twenty-two and then the rest of his life? Seems a bit...uneven."

Angelica gave a small laugh, "But this is all just speculation anyway. We can't know for sure."

* * *

 

"They're cute," Hercules sighed, finishing his coffee as he stared at Lin and Sam, who were busying themselves holding hands across the table and talking. Madison nodded in agreement, "like in the too-sugary kind of way, but not gonna lie, I had my bets on them getting together."

Madison raised an eyebrow but shook his head with a sigh, "I just find it...ironic that my roommates are still acting weird as hell while those two just got together. Not to mention, Thomas wouldn't tell me what happened to him the night before."

"And?"

"He tells me everything," Madison frowned, "he always has, but when I found a shirt in our room that wasn't any of ours, he wouldn't give me a direct answer on whose it was."

Hercules raised an eyebrow, "What's the big deal? It's just a shirt. People's laundry gets mixed up all the time."

"I saw Lin wearing that shirt the night of Max Robes' party."

"Oh."

There was a moment of silence between them and Hercules just shook his head, "Damn, that's rough as hell. Let me guess, Thomas went all weird the second you asked if it was Lin's?"

Madison nodded. "Yep. So, as far as I know, Thomas had a drunk hookup with Lin, the latter of who proceeded to start dating his roommate the following day, all while Aaron hasn't said a thing since before the party."

"You think he did something to Lin?" Hercules only continued when he saw Madison nod, eyes sliding over in the direction of a laughing Lin while Sam only kissed his knuckles. He didn't look back for a few moments, "Because we all know Lin doesn't drink."

"Yes," Madison confirmed Hercules' suspicions and the tailor only frowned deeper, "I've met Aaron in quite a few of my lives. And trust me, he's been in love with Alexander since he was Aaron Burr."

"How could you tell?"

_"Well, I'll be, Mr. Madison," James turned around the second he heard the new voice-well, it wasn't exactly new, but he had never heard it before but the tone gave the person away, "hasn't it been a very long time?"_

_"Yes," James replied, turning towards the figure that was none other than one Aaron Burr, "what brings you here, my good man?"_

_Burr laughed, staring out into the muddied and battle-torn land that was skewered by the trenches around them. A mortar shell exploded not even one hundred yards away, but the way Madison didn't even flinch was more than enough to tell Burr how long the other man had been there. Burr scrubbed away the flecks of mud from the mortar shell explosion and Madison held in telling him it was useless, he'd find out soon enough._

_"I got drafted," Burr yelled over the newest round of gunfire. Madison took note of how he jumped from foot to foot, almost as if he was readying himself to run forward into the gunfire that kept men underground, "How long have you been here, James?"_

_"I was the first round of men out here from the states," James replied but there was an odd smile on his face as he said, "But, in this life, I'm afraid I have to go by Alexander Smith. An oddity I care not for, I assure you."_

_Burr just smiled. Madison blinked when he saw the way his eyes got far away when he mentioned this life's first name. His brow furrowed as that smile was wiped clean as a man screamed from up ahead. The sound stopped soon enough, Madison mused it was a bullet wound, "Have you met him here? Have you seen Alexander?"_

_"I'm afraid not," was the reply, "he hasn't been here. Lucky bastard."_

_"Are there any others here?"_

_Madison sat back against the sadly empty food crate and stared up at the standing man. "Adams took a bullet in the head three weeks in, Franklin and Randolph were gassed out about a week ago. Washington was promoted-"_

_"George Washington is here?"_

_"Martha was promoted. And I'm the last one of us as a ground soldier, well, until now."_

_"And Alexander is nowhere to be found," Madison raised an eyebrow at the second mention of Burr's murder victim, but Burr only continued, "I've lived quite a few lives and he hasn't shown up yet."_

_The Father of the Constitution just shrugged and glanced down at his mud-covered and scratched watch. He let out a small humming noise before finally saying, "I'm due to head up front. You're fine to come with me, you'll be there soon enough. Oh, and by the way, don't raise your head too high. Those machine guns are nasty."_

_And if Madison dies in the final week of the war, then Aaron Burr gets to live with that knowledge._

"Yo, James," He jerked out his memories as Hercules flicked him between the eyes, "you spaced out there for a little bit. You okay, man?"

"Yeah, yeah, I just remembered when I met him back in World War One. He asked about Alexander...and kept asking." Madison said, but Hercules frowned at the mention of the First World War, but then his eyebrows shot up the second he heard the second part.

"Aaron wanted to find Alexander?" Hercules asked, brows furrowing, "I know he wanted to apologize and try to make things right...but, it doesn't make sense why he would go find him. Alexander has always shown up when he wants to."

Madison smiled something soft and let out a sigh. His words to Hercules but his eyes were on Lin, "I do believe you're right about that."

* * *

 

Eliza liked to know she was a strong woman. It was one of the things she had prided herself on throughout her three lives. She enjoyed knowing that throughout history, men and women (well, those who actually bothered to learn that there was something more to the Hamilton family than one bad duel) looked at her in awe. She had always pushed on through. Being the middle daughter to two smarter and witty sisters. She pushed through. Marrying a poor man with the knowledge that he'd die in the war before ever coming home with it unfinished. She pushed through. Her husband cheating on her. She pushed through and forgave him. Philip died. She pushed through. Her Alexander died. She pushed through.

And now here she sat, watching the way Samuel Shepherd lounged lovingly on Lin and how the other looked at him like he was more than his world.

She didn't want to push through. She wanted to be angry. That had been her husband, the man who had left her alone, the man who she loved more than she could ever hate him. And now, he didn't remember her or even their life. But, it was still so much worse that Alexander, even in the form of Lin, wasn't her's any longer.

"Are you alright?"

She barely registered the way Thomas Jefferson sat down beside her. She had often thought the man was allergic to grass or something because he never really wasted his time outside. Eliza sighed, ticking a black strand of hair behind her ear and staring at the two, textbook in her lap forgotten. Thomas lowered his sunglasses down his nose as he followed Eliza's line of sight towards the couple.

"I'm not alright," Eliza confessed as her hands curled around the blue of her sundress, "because it's not fair. It's not fair for me to hate and be jealous of Sam because he has Lin. I know Alexander isn't present right now but it just still makes me angry because he hasn't been present. I want him back."

Thomas snorted but it wasn't in his usual condescending asshole way. Eliza raised an eyebrow but the Former Third President only smiled, "You're not the only one, you know. We all want Alexander and it's okay to be angry because this whole situation is shit."

"We're going to ruin them." Eliza nodded in the direction of Lin and Sam, the former of who was reading some tan colored book while Sam laid his head in his lap, "Them and their happiness. Alexander wouldn't love Samuel Seabury of all people in the way Lin loves Sam Shepherd. And Samuel Seabury won't like Alexander either. We're going to tear them apart."

"Blissful ignorance."

It was a weighted statement that most people wouldn't pick up on.

Then again, Eliza wasn't most people.

"What do you mean?" Thomas didn't answer right away and Eliza narrowed her dark black eyes, a feature that had been prevalent through all of her lives, "What did you do?"

Thomas sucked in a breath and bowed his head in a gesture she knew to be shame, "Eliza, please, you have to promise me you won't tell anyone about this. Because if the others knew, they'd go for my throat. Please."

"Why would I tell anyone? I'm not Angelica, I don't gossip."

The man smiled at the jab at Eliza's elder sister. He knew that fact to be true, as much as sewing club actually sewed, they gossiped a lot more than that. The smile disappeared a moment later. "I slept with Lin."

Eliza was silent.

"It was Bostane and Robes' party. We were both drunk and it was just a hookup...but..." He trailed off but there was something glittering in the woman's eyes. Thomas would never have mentioned this, let alone ever, in any of his life admit to it, he was always more afraid of Eliza than Angelica. Angelica had always had her eyes on the horizon, the final goal, and hadn't cared who she had to stomp out to get there. Unless it was her sisters, of course, she wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice her own happiness for them. But, Elizabeth Schuyler-Hamilton, the woman who calmed the Lion. The woman who made James Madison and Monroe flee her home, one in horror and the other in tears (but he wouldn't say which was which) after Alexander's death. Eliza had her eyes on her feet, always moving forward and minding the people in her path. But, when she was angry, she caused more damaged than even he could. She went for the person, what was important to that person. And she would burn it.

_"I'm sorry for your loss, Mrs. Hamilton," Jefferson sighed, staring at the grieving widow as he stood in her home. She hadn't offered him a seat, despite his presidency, and he knew she wouldn't. He wouldn't take one, a Hamilton, even a grieving one, would be a force of nature. He swallowed, remembering the way Federalist mourners had eyed him as he approached the home. The Federalists were a dying breed, but that didn't mean they wouldn't hesitate to defend their patron's widow, "as much as I hated Hamilton he was a good man."_

_"Thank you, Mr. President." The words were short, clipped, yet the woman always had her manners, "My husband was a good man. Now, why are you here?"_

_"I wanted to offer my condolences. I know how it is to lose a spouse suddenly. And I know how awful it is to get every 'I'm sorry' from people who don't understand. I know how angry you are that they left you. And I know how sad you are because you have to raise the children they left. I've been there, Mrs. Hamilton, and I wanted to tell you it's going to get better. You'll miss them_ everyday _and it will always hurt, but eventually, you'll push through and it won't define you."_

_She stared at him, dark eyes watery but she only managed, "Thank you."_

_"You'll have his letters and you'll have his memories. That's what matters." Thomas smiled, "I destroyed everything my Martha had because I needed to do that because I knew I'd never get better if I saw her everywhere I went."_

_"I burned everything before. I have so little now. I burned the letters we wrote when he published the pamphlet. I tried to burn him out of history, I tried to destroy his legacy. Keep it horrible." Eliza let out a soft laugh and Jefferson just stared at the_ widow _, "But, then I forgave him. And now, I know he's only going to be remembered by that damned_ duel _."_

_"But you're not going to let it stay that way, are you?"_

_"Of course not."_

Thomas blinked out of the flashback and from Eliza's passive features, he knew she was aware of where he had been. He blinked at her, feeling the warm sunlight on his legs and cold shade on his shoulders. Eliza let out a sigh, "But? But, what? Thomas, he's not mine. He was no one's when that happened. He was Sam's a few hours later. You didn't do anything wrong. You don't get a pamphlet."

"It's just..." He trailed off for a moment, feeling that small amount of guilt that had burrowed into his bones get dislodged, but not dissipate, "when I woke up and he was still in my bed, I guess I realized something." Eliza raised an eyebrow and Thomas swallowed, that icy guilt in his bones was turning to hot anxiety in his stomach but he continued, "I realized that I didn't mind it. I didn't care that it was Lin and by extension Hamilton, in my bed. To be honest...I didn't want him to go."

Eliza blinked and he watched the way her straight posture slumped, "No one ever does. Everyone seems to fall in love with him. I did. John did. You. Angelica. Everyone always seems to fall in love with him at some point. And their love never stops."

"You knew about Angelica?"

"Of course I did," Eliza replied curtly, "I'm not stupid. I read some of their surviving letters after Alexander died. I saw their dance with words, I may not be as smart as my sister but I know her well. She always did like commas. But, I saw it before. I saw the way she looked at him when she introduced us. I saw the way she drank at the wedding. I saw the way she chose John Church and don't think for a second I didn't notice similarities."

"What about John Laurens?"

"It was the wedding." Eliza confessed, "I was the bride and I was marrying the man I wanted to spend the rest of time with. But, at the reception when everyone was dancing and congratulating us, I saw John. He was drinking alone, so I approached him and asked what was wrong. Do you want to know what he told me? At my own wedding?" Thomas leaned forward, eyebrows raising in wonder, "He told me to make him happy. He told me that and finished his drink. And he said it again. Make him happy. I guess I didn't understand at the time why he was so sad. But, when Alexander got that letter that told him John was dead, I realized. Alexander always wrote, but he wrote little about John. But, I wasn't mad I didn't solely own my husband's heart."

Thomas blinked, "You weren't disgusted in the fact that a man loved another man? Everyone was back then, but obviously, things changed."

"I saw the way Alexander was torn apart by John's death. He cried once and then stopped doing anything. An entire week where he sat alone and didn't even touch a quill or ink. He just sat there. And I realized that Alexander loved him, not as a friend, but like a spouse. And I wasn't jealous. I actually wanted to rewind time and offer him a place in our marriage. I know it sounds weird, scandalous for the time especially, but if I had to share Alexander with another man I wouldn't care. I wanted him happy."

And the Third President sat back against the tree the two had taken refuge under. A shiver crawled up his spine from the cold shade. They stayed quiet for a little while, sitting around, doing nothing but breathing. And finally, Thomas sighed. "We're all screwed, aren't we?"

"Definitely."

* * *

 

"Martha," Washington sighed, head in his hands as he took in the way his wife frowned at the door recently closed by the school principal. "What am I going to do? This could ruin me. I could get fired."

His wife blinked and suddenly she looked like stone, cold, passive and immovable. She arched an eyebrow, stood and promptly sat on her husband's desk, staring at the man in question. "Principal Howe said he has no ill will against what happened between you two in the revolution, but I'm not going to deny the fact that he wouldn't hesitate to gun towards you."

"I didn't and would never do what he accused me of."

"He didn't accuse you. He warned you that someone thought you were committing academic fraud for students who were revolutionary reincarnates," Martha spoke quickly, a small tell to her worry, "By law, he has to keep the name and information private. He's bending rules and laws for just warning you before the accusation becomes final."

George looked up, running a shaking hand over his head, "What can I do? If I get tenure then I get academic probation and can't teach for seven years. This is an Ivy League school, eyes are already here and once word gets out someone is accusing _George Washington_ of fraud? We won't be able to keep the news networks out."

"And your name will be dragged through the mud."

"And my career will never be what it once was. I got this position on my own merits _before_ I made myself public. And if I get fired, someone is going to hire me basically for bragging rights of having George Washington on their staff. I won't be a person. I'd be a bragging right."

Martha frowned, "Howe promised an investigation. A quiet investigation. I can have my firm make sure this stays away from students and people who don't need to know. Who would accuse you of this? Why would they accuse you of this? I don't believe for one second that you would fraud grades for any student, let alone a friend. But, George, you need to tell me right now if you did. I hold no judgment, that's what you called me here for, right?"

"I haven't..." George frowned, eyes flitting around as he sifted through memories, "I wouldn't. But, if someone is going to accuse me of fraud, then they must have something, right?"

"You teach undergraduate and graduate courses. Both in the law section of the school. Which, most of the reincarnates who go to this school go into. That's not damning enough, though." Martha frowned and then she blinked. Her face seemed to drain of color as she looked up.

"Martha? What's wrong?"

She blinked, "George, please tell me you haven't been visiting reincarnate students outside of class. Their grade standings in your class are the top and if someone noticed the way you spend time with them...they might put two and two together."

He was silent.

"George. Did you?"

"I did."

Martha sat back, eyes wide and she finally let out a shaking breath. She ran a hand through her hair and steeled herself. "Listen to me, George, we can swing this. Right? Why have you been meeting them? If it's for extra help that you didn't offer to other students, then it's enough for tenure. If you sought them out and helped them, then it's practically fraud right there."

"We've been trying to get Alexander to remember, you know that."

"George," Martha whispered, eyes wide as she reached out and cradled his face in small hands, "that argument won't matter if Alexander isn't here. You can't prove to non-reincarnates that Lin is Alexander based on a feeling. People have argued that in court and it was always shot down. The school board will look into Lin's life then...and if the others have done things that aren't really appropriate, they may have a case to throw them out of the school...if not sending them to jail."

And George just stared, silent in his horror as he realized what this meant.

"This is only if they can prove you did this. Then it leads to them." Martha sighed, "I need to know, George. What have the others been doing?"

He was silent.

He didn't know.

* * *

 

Of all the people in the revolutionary set, Aaron Burr never imagined he'd be cornered by a very angry looking Lafayette. He hadn't expected to be dragged down the hallway, away from his dorm and towards yanked into Lafayette's, but he was powerless to stop it. If Lafayette could bench press Peggy for fun then Aaron, sure as hell, couldn't fight back. All he was aware of the bright lights of the hallway being snapped away as Lafayette slammed the door behind them.

"What did you do?"

Aaron swallowed. He had seen that angry look before. But, it wasn't in any place civilian. The battlefield was sweltering and Lafayette was covered in blood. Shaking with a buzzing energy in his blood from adrenaline. His sword was dripping still-wet blood from British men and covered in the dried blood that had become so in the hot sun. Aaron stared at the sight as he saw Major General Lee being shoved ahead by Washington, the first time the stoic man had ever been physically violent away from the battle field on human beings. Aaron swallowed. And Lafayette whipped to face him and he for the first time saw rage. He saw the rage in the glittering of his eyes, the way he shook and the put together Marquis had dissolved into something beastly. It was-

A hand slammed against the wall and Aaron jumped. Lafayette moved forward, shoulders squared and stretched to every inch of their height. "What did you do?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I saw how Lin and Sam have miraculously started dating. Despite the fact that Lin was hung up on you," Lafayette moved forward again, invading Aaron's personal space without hesitation, "what did you do to change that? I asked him today and you know what he said to me? Piss off."

"I freaked out," Aaron sighed, backing up all the while, "and I yelled at him. I didn't mean to...I was out of a flashback and was just angry. I know, it was stupid. I should have realized. But, what can I do now? Apologize for telling him to stop trying? Apologize for calling him Alexander?" Lafayette blinked at him in return, but said nothing, "I'm sorry. I really am. I tried so hard to keep it together but I couldn't."

Lafayette swallowed and the anger dissipated. Their shoulders hunched down and suddenly they were a few inches shorter. They let out a sigh, "I'm sorry. I had no right to be angry. I had no right to do this."

"It's not your fault. I'd be angry too."

"No, I immediately went after you," Lafayette bowed their head, "I'm just...tired. What Lin said to me just made me realize that he's not our Alexander. We aren't best friends anymore, we're not friends. He's not here and I keep trying to wake him up but it's not working. I'm tired of trying and failing. And I need my friend back. And he's not coming back. And why the hell am I even telling you this?" 

Lafayette let out an airy laugh, bordering on hysterics. But Aaron only moved forward, slowly, and placed a hand on the taller person's shoulder. Lafayette's eyes were on him in the instant it happened, "Laf, please, just breathe. It's alright. I want him back too."

"I think we can all tell that."

* * *

 

New York was cold at night and Maria knew that. But, it didn't stop her. She followed him slowly, staying back far enough no one would notice. She wasn't afraid of anyone grabbing her, she had Hercules at her side and pepper spray. The two followed quietly, discreet clothing. No one would notice them, hand in hand, laughing and talking like they were a couple. But they weren't, they were following one James Reynolds. 

"Where is he going?" Hercules laughed, smiling wide and fake as he looked at her, "He's not taking a taxi anywhere. He's been walking in a straight line for blocks."

"He hasn't noticed us," Maria replied, smiling equally back, "I have a feeling he's going to meet someone. No one leaves the campus this late for no obvious reason. He's been acting weird all day, apparently."

"I heard Lin telling Sam how he was stumbling over words today in class and practically ran to get out of there."

"Doesn't sound good."

"Not at all."

Reynolds continued on until eventually, he stopped. Maria practically threw the two of them into the alley they were passing, but eventually, she leaned past the corner of the building. Just in time to see him walk into an abandoned building. Maria swallowed and turned to Hercules, "He went inside an abandoned building. Come on, we can find another way in."

Hercules nodded and they made their way across the sidewalk, disappearing into the alley next to the warehouse. They could hear voices instantly. And Hercules motioned to a collection of piled up garbage below the broken window. And despite the smell and Maria's gagging the two moved to the trash and ducked under the window. The voices inside were something odd and finally, they came in clear. 

"I don't get why your bitch ass is wasting time, Reynolds," The voice was new and Maria blinked. It sounded familiar but she couldn't place it, "You wanted that Lin kid dead. We want the King Corporation to understand what it really means to take a hit."

"I'm working on it," Reynolds snapped, "it's kind of hard to kill someone when you're on a cramped campus."

Maria felt the blood begin to drain from her face and Hercules gripped her arm. The strange man just let out an aggravated sigh, "We pay for your education and you make the Kings regret their transgressions. They screwed us and they get to pay. There's no change here. The deal is simple. You wanted to kill this stupid kid and you sought us out. Stop stalling. That kid dies before the end of the school year or you do."

Hercules just stared at Maria. His heart was in his ears and Maria's hands were clasped at her mouth. She was shaking, but she didn't make a sound. Hercules moved upwards slowly, and she grabbed at his arms, nails digging in, but Hercules only placed a finger in front of his lips as he stood. He glanced through the broken glass, eyes at window sill level, they wouldn't see him if he was discreet. 

The man who was speaking to Reynolds was alone. His hair was dark and his skin was heavily scarred with pink scars that crossed over dark skin. Hercules let out a small breath, quiet and the man only moved forward. His hand curled in Reynold's collar, hauling him close as he just grinned. "You know, if worse comes to worst, I could always haul that scrappy kid in here and cut him up myself. We gave you a gun so it'd be quick, we aren't animals. But, if you keep stalling, I'll cut him up in front of you so you can see exactly what I'm going to do to you."

He shoved Reynolds away, but the man didn't fall. He only staggered backward, expression scared, "I got it."

Hercules lowered himself. 

The window sill cracked.

Maria stared wide-eyed as Hercules ducked. The two stared at one another, footsteps were banging closer and Maria closed her eyes in terror, hands clasped over her mouth and nose to keep breathing quietly. Hercules wrapped his arms around her and they sunk into the old plastic and boxes. A bag shifted and Maria kept her eyes wide open as the shape of the scarred man leaned out. He looked out with his head scanning horizontally. 

His hand was on the window sill. 

And it broke. 

Wood and dust rained down. The man swore and suddenly something moved from within their pile. It writhed and screeched. Maria went still and Hercules hugged her tighter. And suddenly, a rat broke free and hit the alley's asphalt. The man blinked at it. Maria heard a scuffling sound and closed her eyes. 

A gunshot exploded above them. And there wasn't a rat left to screech anymore. 

"Reynolds," The man called over his shoulder, disappearing inside, "do what I just did to that rat to the kid."

Maria didn't realize she was crying.

* * *

 

Lin didn't regret his actions. He couldn't. He'd keep it quiet and no one had to know. But, if they did, he didn't know what he'd do. He leaned down, kissing the crown of Sam's head and smiled. He adjusted his grip and ran a hand through the hair that was fanned out under his chin. Lin smiled to himself, happy that something worked out. He really didn't consider Sam a potential boyfriend, but the second he kissed him, he realized. 

They were perfect matches. They fit each other. Perfectly. Lin and Sam. Nothing could come between them.

He smiled and then something happened. 

He didn't know what, but he'd remember it for the rest of his life.

Sam's eyes flew open and he threw himself away from Lin (luckily they were on Sam's bottom bunk). He hit the floor and Lin followed without a second thought. Sam was writhing and twitching, hands clawing at his throat. He was making an odd sound as red tinged saliva began to bubble from his lips. Their eyes met for a split second and suddenly, Lin was screaming, "Call 911! Jesus Christ. Call an ambulance! Go get help!" 

George was on his knees, phone between ear and shoulder. Chase was already out of the room, yelling and shouting for the TA down the hall. The only one of them with any decent medical training. Lin only caught half of a conversation, but that didn't stop him from turning Sam on his side. He was trying not to sob as Sam coughed and choked and tried to claw at his throat with one hand. 

The other was holding onto Lin's shirt. 

"My friend, dear god, he's choking and seizing...yes, he's on his side...okay, okay..."

The ajar door was kicked open, a woman diving down next to George, hands moving quickly. Charles was behind her, standing at the door to keep the crowd of horrified onlookers from getting in. He spat something about waiting for the ambulance and a large group of them went, presumably, outside to lead the EMTs up. Lin was holding onto Sam's strong hand and was trying his best not to cry.

"Come on, Sam, look at me," Lin found himself saying, "eyes on me. Help is on the way, just hold on. Come on."

The TA, whom he recognized at Sally Hemings, was barking orders, but Lin didn't move. Everyone else did. He held Sam's relaxing hand in his. He was barely looking at him, eyes closing and lips blueing. 

Lin shouted his outrage as George and Sam hauled him away, kicking and shouting. He couldn't leave him, he couldn't leave him! The EMTs were already there, more bodies packing into the small room at Sally pulled away. 

"We have to go," Geroge said into his brother's ear, "we can't help Sam if we aren't giving the EMTs room."

And the two pulled him into the hallway. A crowd of people was gathered, Sally yelling at them to keep clear. George had an arm around his brother, hissing at anyone who same to close. Charles had an arm around the two. George saw a horrified Nate Bostane and Max Robes staring. Charles saw the yellow-clad Schuyler sibling fighting through the crowd to get closer. 

Lin saw EMTs carrying his boyfriend out and away.

And he felt numb.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh look, it's all gone to shit. 
> 
> I've introduced the problems and it only continues from here. Get ready, it's not going to be pretty. ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the huge wait! I started school about a month ago and literally with 6+ hours of homework a night I hardly get any time to do anything. So sorry for the wait! I'll try to pick it up from here. 
> 
> I mean, we're roughly halfway through.
> 
> The story takes place over an American school year and we're in October story-wise. (it's all about to go to shit even further ;))))))

Peggy had been there for all of it.

They had been there when Lin just stopped fighting, when he sat down and stared after the EMTs. They offered to drive the three immediately and the two others who were actually reacting to their roommate just nodded and helped Lin to his feet. They had driven fast behind the ambulance. They had been there every moment, Charles and George holding onto Lin's hands while Peggy just curled up at his feet, keeping him warm and calm as he shook to pieces in a stark white waiting room.

"Shepherd," The doctor who came out hours later looked around the waiting room, but her eyes caught the four standing students in a moment. She approached them, a gentle smile on her startlingly young face, "Okay, well, I have a rundown. But, are any of you his family? I can't give you the information if you aren't family."

Lin didn't say a thing, Charles did. "His parents aren't coming. I called and they refused to come visit their gay son, well they didn't use the word 'gay'. It's just us. He's an only child. He has no one but us, please. We're his friends and that's his boyfriend."

The doctor let out a sigh, "Alright. You can come with me, we have a lot to discuss."

And they followed. She spoke all the while, "We found a high level of toxic chemicals in Mr. Shepherd's bloodstream. His body started to attack itself once the levels reached a high point. His system incubated the toxins as his immune system tried to fight them, but eventually, it couldn't and so his body proceeded to shut down to fight it."

"What were the toxins?"

"We haven't identified them yet, sadly," The doctor rattled off, "but we have him stable currently. All I can tell you is that toxicity in his blood and the rarity of the toxins themselves proves this to be premeditated."

Peggy swallowed, "He was poisoned."

It wasn't a question. And when the doctor nodded, Lin nearly collapsed. George was the first to speak, "Can we see him?"

"Yes. But, I need to warn you," the woman's voice was even, "he's currently in a medically induced coma. We have to wait for the toxicity to die down and for his immune system to rebuild itself a little. I don't know how long that's going to take, but if he can pull through these next few days, then there is no reason he can't get better."

The small group filed in the small room after the doctor. Peggy swallowed once they caught sight of the prone figure on the bed. Sam laid still in the bed, surrounded by machines as if they had become his mourning family. Tubes seemed to poke out of every inch of visible skin while Peggy shied away from looking at his intubated upper region. If they couldn't stomach watching medical shows, then there was no way in hell they were going to look at that.

Lin collapsed at the bed, gripping onto Sam's prone hand like the other boy might disappear at any moment. He just leaned forward, resting his forehead against the hand. Peggy swallowed down bile while George and Charles just held onto Lin's shoulder. George pulled up the chair that was at the side of the bed and practically shoved Lin into it. He rested a hand on the waves of Lin's dark hair, "Lin, you stay here. I'll get all of your stuff for classes tomorrow and I can bring you a change of clothes. Just stay here with him, alright?"

Lin said nothing, his face was tight yet he nodded. George nodded at Charles before striding out, not before grabbing Peggy by the arm on their way out. Peggy didn't have time to react before they were out in the hallway of the ICU. The blonde man was the first to speak, "What are you trying to do? Because if this is some bullshit excuse to get close to Lin so you can wake up your precious Alexander I swear to god I-"

"I just wanted to help," Peggy shot back, "I heard the commotion from my dorm and I wasn't going to let any of you drive."

George seemed to soften at that response, "Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to snap I just know your friends really want-"

"Don't apologize. If any of us ever tried that I would personally fist fight them myself." Peggy laughed, the two of them continued to walk down the hallway towards the elevator doors, "What do you think happened to Sam? I mean, who would poison the guy? He's always been so nice."

George's expression darkened into something twisted at Peggy's words but the darkness faded a moment later. He inhaled and exhaled. "I have no idea who, but I have a feeling they weren't targeting Sam."

"I was afraid you were going to say that."

The elevator doors opened with a small tinging noise and George stepped in, "Peggy, feel free to stay. I have a feeling more of your friends are going to turn up. My parents own the hospital so no one is going to kick you out."

"What are you doing?"

"Gettings Lin's things," George called as the doors began to shut, "I have a few calls to make as well."

* * *

 

Thomas, James, and Aaron were the next to trickle in. They had heard the commotion about it from their dorm across campus and once they had realized who had been taken away to the hospital, they knew they had to run there. So, that was the odd lay down of how the three of them ran in, clad in sweatpants and the things they had been sleeping in. James was the first to reach the Nurse's station and he said, "Samuel Shepherd. Can we see him?"

The nurse raised an eyebrow but then she saw the worried state of the three men. She let out a sigh, "Tenth floor, room 1011B. He's in ICU. One at a time, if you're bothersome up there security will come for you."

The three men blinked and the woman just gestured to the elevator, "Go."

And they did. The ride up to the tenth floor was silent save for mechanical whirring and breathing. The doors opened with a ding once their floor was hit, but not even a moment later, Thomas just sighed, "It's all gone to shit, hasn't it? I mean, Washington isn't talking to us, Sam's in the hospital, Reynolds and Jackson are still going strong on the asshole route, and Lin's memories are being quite difficult."

James swallowed as the three of them exited, "What do we do? He's not exactly our friend and I have a feeling Lin may actually be angry if he sees us."

"Try not to cause a scene," Thomas said to the two as they approached the door, 1009B, 1010A, 1010B, 1011A, "We don't want to get kicked out before he has the chance to know that we're here for him."

"Makes you sound like a few rats, if you ask me," The three turned to face Charles Lee, dressed in a sweatshirt and pajama pants with cartoon fish printed across them, "If you're here to do anything with Lin, then leave. He's not your toy you can push and nudge however you like, whenever you like. He's hurting right now so if you want to drop any of your oh so subtle hints, then I suggest you be on your way."

Aaron swallowed, "We just want to make sure they're doing okay, we don't want any trouble here."

Charles hummed deep in his throat and pushed open the door to 1011B. He glanced back, dark eyes scanning Aaron before he simply said, "I'll hold you that. Your friend, Peggy, is here. They're getting coffee down in the cafeteria."

Thomas smiled to himself, making a mental note to text Angelica to let them know that their yellow-clad sibling was okay. But when he remembered the severity of the situation at hand he let out a sigh and the grin was gone, "How's Sam?"

"He's in a medically induced coma," Charles replied instantly, expression grave, "The doctors aren't sure even if he's even going to pull through." He blinked and could practically see the question, "The doctors think he was poisoned. The reaction and the severity of what it did internally was too far from anaphylactic shock to be an allergic reaction."

"Oh shit."

James sighed, "What's the story going to be on this? Everyone on campus knew within the hour that someone went to the hospital via ambulance, in two they knew it was Sam. If this gets out, then there's a pretty big chance that there could be a push for Columbia to be shut down. If someone thinks a student was poisoned within the university and there's no proof to who did it, then...there's no telling what could happen."

Chase said nothing in return.

* * *

 

He didn't have time to react or even fight back when he was grabbed. George just let out a shocked squeak as Maria and Hercules dragged him into the closet. The light was flicked on and before he could even ask what the hell they were thinking, Maria just, "What the hell is going on?"

"Excuse me?"

"Don't play dumb," Hercules growled in return, "we followed Reynolds and the guy he was working with has a beef with the King family. We want to know what the hell is going on right now."

George blinked, meeting the eyes of the other two head on but after a moment his shoulders drooped. He looked over at the shelf of medical supplies before he let out a sigh, "Okay, okay. You said someone was angry at the King family, correct?"

"Yes."

"And, let me a take a guess, they threatened to take everything from Reynolds?"

"Yes." Maria answered this time, but she raised a finely sculpted eyebrow and frowned, "But how did you guess that?"

"The King family has been running their medical company since the 1800s. But, around the 1980s, profits for medicinal drugs began to drop. So, my parents decided to figure out why. It didn't make sense because the need for the drugs was going up, but their sales were going down. No one could find where the drugs were coming from. It took my parents years to narrow down where the drugs were being made but they eventually found it."

"Where was it?"

"The West Indes," George replied, "I was already ten by this time, but my parents didn't stop looking. They eventually found that an internationally run cartel had been creating them, then sending the orphans of the West Indes to America to pay for their life and college, but the orphans had to distribute and sell. The orphans weren't investigated because they had made a name for themselves yet the signs pointed at them."

Maria blinked and frowned deeper, a sense of disgust curling into her stomach, "That's disgusting."

"It is," He continued, "but when that hurricane leveled Nevis back in 2011, my parents saw it as the best way to go there. They visited the hospital there and found enough damning evidence to have Interpol break up the ring."

"Lin," Hercules said suddenly, "Lin was there wasn't he?"

George nodded. "His parents were killed in the hurricane. My mother met him then and she moved forward to adopt him. My father agreed because he knew what could happen to him. I know Lin's always been bitter about the fact but, I have no idea if he knows the real reason my parents were there."

Hercules cocked his head to the side, "How the hell do you know?"

"I'm set to inherit the company once my father retires," George explained, "and he uses the same passcode for everything. My mother may be the force behind him, but he has it all organized. I was confused when Lin came to live with us because my parents were so against having another kid."

"Hell to raise?"

"Oh definitely," George laughed, "it was more hell because I remembered who I was _early_. My parents had no clue what was happening, they just chalked it up to raising a kid. I have no idea if they figured it out, but I wouldn't be surprised either way. Anyway, I read up on the Interpol emails and reports. I knew everything then, but when I met Lin I just had that feeling, the one you get when you see another reincarnate, yeah? I felt that. It took me a little bit, but I figured it out."

There was a moment of silence but after a moment, Maria spoke.

"What should we do?"

"I have no clue."

* * *

 

"What do you mean a student was poisoned last night?" A teacher from the psychology department shouted, Washington frowned and stared at the rest of the faculty. It wasn't hard to, after all, it was a full faculty meeting called in an emergency, "How the hell does that happen?"

The Principal, a Ms. Ching Shih, let out a sigh, "I have no clue, but I ask all of you to keep the students calm. The last thing we need if for this University to dissolve into chaos. An investigation has been opened through the NYPD and all students along with faculty are subject to being questioned as of right now. The University is being treated as an active crime scene yet we are free to function normally."

Washington blinked and frowned, "Students have the right to a lawyer, is the school providing?"

Shih nodded. "A law firm head has a daughter here and they're willing to sit with students and faculty as pro bono."

The room was silent. Teachers were sharing glances, worry painted across the various faces while many just stared at the floor, the knowledge of what had happened was beginning to weigh down. The tension in the room was getting tighter and tighter like someone was pulling on a rubber band until it couldn't be stretched any further. 

Someone pulled. 

"What if it was a student on student violence?"

And it snapped. 

* * *

 

The school had become organized chaos. 

The campus had went from a fun environment to something awful mixed in with tense laughter and worry lines. And, it had happened in only a few hours. After the EMS had taken Sam away, tweets and texts had been sent out. The rumor mill was going strong yet that didn't stop the worry. That didn't stop what everyone was thinking. There was hardly a person on campus who didn't know Sam, if they didn't know Sam, then they knew Lin. It was a domino effect, but that didn't stop the underlying message. That didn't stop lonely people walking to class suddenly finding a group. That didn't stop everyone suddenly noticing three times the amount of campus security out, they weren't friends anymore, they were predators. 

But there was one thing everyone had been thinking.

It happened to them, it could happen to you.

And Philip was there for all of it. At first, he felt like some spectator, sitting on the outside as he watched the mannerisms take a complete turn on its head. He swallowed, looking away from the officer that had caught his eyes. Theo grabbed his hand in comfort. But now, he felt like some victim. 

Patsy shook her head, "This feels like some  _1984_ thing. We're being watched all the time now. It's like they're already pointing fingers even though they know we're friend-ish, well more acquaintances, with Sam."

Theo nodded, "I have a sister who works for the  _Times_ and she's gotten nothing. I think the school is trying to keep it quiet."

"Wouldn't you? Imagine how many kids would apply for a transfer if they thought that they weren't safe here. It'd be some mass exodus." Patsy replied curtly, fingering a lead that had landed on her skirt. It was red. She sighed, "It's three weeks from fall break. The school has only a few weeks before this gets out big time. Every kid here is going to go home and do what they do best. Gossip."

Philip sat back. He frowned when he felt the bark of the tree catch the curls in his hair but he didn't stop. "Why is this happening?"

His girlfriends looked at him, but he only continued, "Think about it. We're reincarnates yet we all show up here. We all want to find my dad, we've wanted that for years. And the second we find him, it all goes to hell. Why?"

"No one ever said your father wasn't, how you say, extra." Patsy smiled, "We have a problem, though. Sam is Samuel Seabury, correct?" Once she received the answer of nodding, she continued on, "If that is even a hint of the reason he was attacked...then, it's going down as a hate crime."

Theo breathed, everyone knew the riots from the 1970s. Everyone knew how they ended up bloody and everyone knew that a protest against a hate crime would reignite old anger, "Oh my god. They'll riot."

"Pasty," Philip blinked, eyes wide as he blinked at the memory bubbling up under- _people are screaming for their rights, uniforms are pushing back, no one is listening, it's hot and there's blood with sweat, more people are pushing back against the uniforms, a shout, and suddenly there's pain-_ his skin. He blinked against it and he could feel the hands holding him in the now tighten, "there's a bad history with those."

"I know."

He swallowed and could practically feel the old bullet wound twinge with memory, "I died in one. How many people would die in one  _now_?" 

"Too many."

* * *

 

Jackson, on the other hand, didn't have a chance to run. He had turned when he heard the footsteps and only by his luck, he had turned right into the punch aimed at his face. He hit the ground, hands at his nose the second blood started to flow. Another punch his jaw and he jerked to the side, thoughts spinning. But, as soon as the punches started, they stopped. He glanced up, just in time to see someone yank a struggling and yelling Eliza Schuyler off of him. 

"Jesus, Eliza!" John Laurens shouted, holding the woman off the ground as she struggled and swore, "Breathe. Oh my god, breathe!"

"You son of a bitch!" Eliza shouted. She was angry. She was done being docile and the kind sister. She wanted to be angry and so she was. She had held her tongue too long, she had been the kind one too long. She was out for blood, fueled by the rage in her chest. She wanted blood and she wasn't going to stop until it was under her fingernails, "I swear to god. Did you do this?!"

He looked up and paused. Her expression was twisted, her smooth facial features sharp. She howled. "Did you know?!"

"I-I didn't! I swear." Jackson shouted, blood was flowing through his tight fingers and he could taste the iron, "I had no idea it was Sam. No wait, I didn't do any of this. I had no idea any of this. Listen to me, please. I didn't know."

"Where the  _fuck_ is Reynolds?" Eliza snarled. She stopped her struggles, but John didn't let go. The rage was foreign, terrifying and for the time, everyone knew how Eliza dealt with Hamilton. She may have been the equivalent of calm water, but calm water had a deathly undertow when it was seen. "If he did anything to Sam then he's going to regret even breathing."

Jackson blinked. His eyes were wide in shock, "Reynolds stayed in last night. He didn't leave our dorm. He was sick." Jackson swallowed and he shrank away from the woman as the twisted rage across her face smoothed in emotionless marble. John looked horrified as he put the pieces together. The Former President let out a breath and began, "It wasn't me and it certainly wasn't Reynolds. Whatever you're suggesting...neither of us did it."

Laurens blinked and set Eliza down. The woman didn't move, despite the blood flowing from her split and raw knuckles. The man grabbed at his mouth and for a single and awful moment, Jackson thought he was going to be sick. John wasn't, instead he whispered, "It wasn't one of you?" 

"It couldn't have been," Jackson growled, "listen, I don't  _like_ Lin or Sam or anyone in their group, but I would never kill any of them. That's too much."

Eliza gritted her teeth, "If it wasn't one of you,  _then who the hell would?_ "

* * *

 

"Officer," James Madison greeted as he sat down. Angelica was across from him while Aaron was next to him. The two of them seemed on edge, but then again, when the police invite you in for questioning about poisoning a student, then who wouldn't be on edge? "What can I do for you?"

"We're sorry about dragging you out of class," the Officer said, his eyes were narrowed and his tone wasn't friendly, but there was some hint of respect in his voice. "But, you can understand our position."

"Three days of questioning students and from what I can see, no results," James purred, eyebrows raised, "your position is quite clear."

"You may have written the Constitution or whatever, but don't get smart with me, kid." The Officer bit out. He grumbled something under his breath yet walked away when he saw the Captain waving him over. Angelica let out a sigh. 

She leaned across the table and the two men leaned towards her, "When I heard about the questioning I was all for it, but I didn't know they were going to turn half of the Student Union into their headquarters!" 

Aaron sighed, "The school is going to hell. It's been three days since Sam was admitted and Lin hasn't even been back to campus. The water lines are getting checked. Security is kicking in doors if they think you have anything that's against school rules."

Angelica nodded, "I hear Bostane and Robes are trying to get the student council organized so they can have a student's rights thing with the investigation."

"They always seem to be everywhere," James concluded offhandedly, "the lawyer who's supposed to be here is coming back, right? He's been gone for almost an hour and I have a paper due at midnight."

"What's it for?" 

"Constitutional History."

"You haven't started, have you?" 

"Nope." 

Aaron laughed and stared at the clock. It was nearing seven at night and questioning has been taking anywhere from fifteen minutes (Washington) to two hours (Lin). This was either going to be quick and painless or the exact opposite. He inhaled sharply and exhaled slowly. "Did you hear what Eliza found out yesterday?" 

"After she punched Jackson?" 

"Yeah," His voice dropped and he blinked, "apparently it wasn't Jackson or Reynolds. No one has a suspect. And this is only going to get worse if Sam gets worse." 

The three all shared a glance but the second they went to say something, the door opened. The three turned to face a newcomer and they all wilted once they saw it wasn't the lawyer who had the privilege of sitting with them during questioning. The girl blinked, frowning at Angelica, a spark of something lit up in her eyes when she saw Aaron but the second she saw James, she exploded. 

He didn't have a chance to react before he suddenly had a lapful of a strange woman who was crying and hugging him. She was laughing all the while. She sat back, her hands grabbing at his face. James blinked and something twisted in his gut but in all the right ways. He blinked. 

 

"Dolley?"

"Jemmy!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if this chapter wasn't the greatest but ~enter in my main woman Dolley freakin' Madison~ 
> 
> Thanks to all of you and all of the support! It means so much and keeps me pushing to keep these going!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for sticking with this! I have the rest of the chapters planned and it's official, we're over halfway through this story!!

"Okay, listen to me," Dolley said the second she had all of the attention on her. Everyone stared at the woman, she was tall and her accent pinpointed her location to Vietnam, "My dad has a lot of information on the school as of right now but, I don't know if he's going to use any of it." 

Jefferson snorted but his eyes were dark, "What the hell does that mean? He's the DA of New York City and if he doesn't do something with this information then the cops could tear this damn place apart!" 

The woman raised an eyebrow but her face was grim, "My dad doesn't act scared very often but there's something bothering him with this one. I have no idea what's involved or who, but if it can scare the DA, then we're screwed." She sighed but after a moment she dug around in her bag, she glanced around at the empty dorm room before setting the files out on the desk, "These are copies of everything my dad has on this case."  

James blinked, glancing at the shocked expressions of the Schuyler Siblings, "Are you serious? You made copies. Dolley, that's illegal! You could go down for obstruction of justice or worse." He paused for a moment, "Why are you showing us this?" 

"Because you guys can help me connect the dots," Dolley finished, "You think my dad is the only lawyer in the family? Besides, there's something about Sam or possibly Lin, that none of you are telling us." 

No one said a thing. 

"Spill." 

George King frowned, "How do we know we can trust you? You could turn us into the cops if you had the information. We haven't even known each other for an hour and yet you want us to spill every dirty secret. How can we trust you?" 

Dolley slammed her hand on the table, making some of them jump and the rest nervous, "Because I'm the only lawyer in New York who would go to bat for you guys. I'm the only reincarnate lawyer  _on the east coast_ who actually gives a damn. None of you get it. This isn't about you. If any of you go to trial or get slandered in the news, this shit goes global. It reflects on all reincarnates and suddenly we're more scrutinized than ever."

"She's right," Laurens whispered, "we could get another set of the reincarnation riots back in the 60s and 70s. And most of you are the Founding Fathers, America could tear itself apart."

"You trust me now?" Dolley asked, there were a few nods, but not enough to make any smart individual feel safe, "Look around you. Where's Washington? He's being investigated because someone reported that they thought he was faking grades so you guys could stay at the top of your classes. I bet you didn't know that, did you? Why else do you think he's been ignoring you? If he contacts you then it's practically a guilty plea. Someone took your main support column." 

Eliza blinked, the blood leaving her face as the realization hit her, "You think it's all connected?" 

"It has to be. All of this leads directly back to you and all of you lead back to Lin. So," Dolley slid the files across the desk, the light catching her features and casting wicked shadows across her cheekbones, "I need the whole story. If I can connect this and keep the blame off you, then it's a win. The police would have to take care of it otherwise I can take them down neglect. If Sam happens to die then it could easily become unintended manslaughter." 

Maria and Hercules shared a glance and nodded at one another. George eyed them the whole time but he eventually let out a sigh, "We need to all be on the same page. There can't be secrets anymore. Secrets that could get us killed if whoever tried to kill Sam finds out we know." 

There was a tense silence that followed.

And the story and its respective secrets were told. 

* * *

 

"Mr. Washington," Shih said slowly as she took in the man across the desk, "I'm glad you could make it. We have very important matters to discuss."

He raised an eyebrow, his shoulders were squared and his back straight. He looked every bit military general in that moment, but there was also the problem that Shih wouldn't be intimidated. She was a pirate who brought the British Navy to its knees. "What is it? Is it about my tenure? Or is it because of the recent problem with student safety?" 

She blinked, "Both. The school investigation finished being conducted two days ago and as of an hour ago, the board decided that you were framed. There is no evidence to you selling grades and there is no evidence of you doing anything immoral with your station here at this university." 

"But?" 

"I heard through one of the detectives that you are currently on the suspect list for Sam Shepherd's recent poisoning."

"Excuse me?" 

Shih reached across the desk and grasped his forearm, a sign of comfort but there was an odd fire in her eyes. Washington blinked. He recognized that fire, he had felt it before. He used it before. He could feel memories pricking behind his eyes but he shoved it away. This wasn't the time. Shih nodded grimly, "Listen to me, whoever did this wants to pin it on you."

"Why?" Washington responded almost instantly, "People are aware of who I am, right?"

"It's easy. If Samuel Shepherd is really Samuel Seabury like many of the other reincarnates on staff have theorized then this would make you the ideal subject. The man who lead the revolution being forced to teach one of the more well-known tories. The media would eat that up and you would be tried for it. Odds are that you would be found guilty. You're the perfect person to do it."

"But, I would never."

"Exactly," Shih said, she released him but her voice only got lower, "you need to realize that everyone is aware you wouldn't. That's what makes you such a prime target. Everyone loves tearing down the great, don't they?"

"Or the world would focus on me and the trial while those who actually did it got away?" 

"That as well."

"What do I do now?" Washington growled, "If I go back like nothing ever happened then the criminal is going to try even harder to pin it on someone else. What do I do in your opinion? I want to keep these students safe but I can't have rumors being spread about me." 

"You're reinstated as of now, but, I need you to return to your business as usual with the reincarnated students you've been talking to," Shih explained, "if you suddenly act weird for no reason then that's good enough as a confession."

* * *

 

Charles stopped the second he saw the way the dorm room door was ajar. He blinked, staring at the small sliver of the room that could be seen through the open portion, but then he remembered how they all locked it once they left. He swallowed, held his keys through his fingers like claws and entered. 

And the sense of dread that sunk his stomach as he walked in was overwhelming.

Reynolds was there and he was tearing through Lin and Sam's things. 

"What the fuck are you doing?" He spat, there was rage there and it wasn't kind. Reynolds whipped around, standing but that didn't stop him from looking like a cornered animal. "I'm saying it again, what are you doing?"

"Walk away," he was shaking and there was sweat dripping down his forehead, "walk away. Right now. Please."

Charles stood his ground and took a step forward. Reynolds didn't move, he just stood there with his hands shaking and wide eyes. Charles blinked after a moment and relaxed only slightly, "What's wrong?" 

"I have to find something. I need to find something." He was muttering to himself and Charles knew that it wasn't directed at him, "They'll hurt me. He's tired of waiting...I need to move or they'll do my job for me." 

Charles reached out, trying to steady the man he hated, but he was suddenly shoved back. His back hit the door and it slammed shut. There was a moment of confusion before he felt the bite of a knife against his throat. The breath left his lungs and Reynolds didn't cut deeper. He just held him there and was more than ready to push forward. 

"Renolds...please." His heart was hammering in his chest and the man in question twitched, the blade dug in deep but Charles' heart was pumping adrenaline through his veins too much. He couldn't feel it. His body was tensing and he could feel his senses screaming about flight or fight. He stood still. "You don't have to do this." 

"They'll find me. They'll kill everyone." Reynolds growled. "I need to get this done." 

"You're not hurting them." 

"I don't have a choice." 

"There's always a choice," Charles said slowly, keeping his voice even as he tried to keep Reynolds from applying force, "just put the knife down. I can vouch for you. I can help you, okay? We could get help. You could help us." 

Renolds growled, "They know. They always know." 

"I'll stay with you. No one will hurt you while I'm with you, okay?" Charles was talking fast, he could practically feel Reynolds' hands shaking with a nervous energy. The tendons in his arms were getting tenser and tighter and he didn't want to know what they could do to him. "Just...put the knife down." 

And he lowered it.

Charles flashed a small smile, "See that wasn't so bad?" 

Reynolds said nothing. He just frowned. And looked at Charles with an odd look in his eyes. 

Charles didn't realize there was a knife in his midsection until he tried to breathe in. And suddenly, he was sliding to the floor, hands grasping at his shirt front as Reynolds tore the knife free. There was blood and not even a moment later, Reynolds took a step back. His hands were stained with scarlet the knife was dripping. Charles didn't see what happened next, he felt himself being moved then all was dark. 

* * *

 

Martha Washington ignored the jeers being yelled at her as she walked down the street. The men continued their vulgar yelling but calling her a selfish bitch when she ignored their 'compliments'. She didn't have time for this, usually, she'd yell back in angry Spanish, but not right now. She had somewhere to be. And ironically, the girl she was meeting waiting for her on the corner. 

"Ms. Hemings," She greeted, "thank you for meeting me." 

The Journalism major turned Med-Student nodded as she blinked. "It's no problem. When you said you wanted to meet me about the thing with Sam, I was more than willing. I'm their RA so I have to know these things."

The elder woman nodded, "Walk with me." 

And they continued on until they reached a darker and secluded alleyway. Once the two women were tucked inside it and out of view from the street, Sally cocked her head to the side, "What did you need me for?"

"You have a job with the  _Post_. I need to know what they have on the Columbia problem," Martha said as if this was a casual discussion, "I need to know. No other paper or even news outlet has anything on it. As far as my firm has found, everything is quiet about it. It doesn't make sense."

The other woman nodded, "Someone has been shoving a lot of money our way to 'lose' the stories we have written on it."

"And you're okay with that?" 

"I like my job, it pays well and I can still go to med school," Sally replied curtly, "but, here's the weird thing. No one has any idea who is shoving the money at us. And from what I saw in influx, it's a lot. I got a raise for agreeing to ignore it. They thought I wouldn't notice, but an extra seven dollars is too much for just 'doing a good job'." 

Martha hummed deep in her throat as she shoved her hands into her coat. Somewhere down the alley, a rat screeched. "No idea?"

"No," Sally answered, "I thought it might be the Kings at first, but the more I looked into it, it wouldn't make sense. Why would they try to make their sons the villains? EVen if it was some bullshit publicity stunt, then I highly doubt they'd go far enough to do that to Sam." 

"No word on Sam?" 

Sally shook her head, "Doctors are having the information under lock and key, I'm afraid. I can't get to it, but I have no doubt in my mind George or Lin could get to it. If their parents own the hospital then it's practically their's."

"What about recent gang activity?" Martha whispered suddenly, "Do you think they could be a factor behind this? The money would make sense and the ease of access to the campus."

"I don't run that column but I could find out a few things for you," Sally replied, "what's your plan with this information? How does it help you in any way? You're not defending the students in this situation. The DA is."

Martha leaned forward and grabbed the larger woman by the arm. She pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, "Because if things continue this way, then someone is going to be dead by year's end."

* * *

Everything was going to hell. Lafayette was sure of it. They looked at the blood on their hands and up to their elbows. They gagged at the scent and the drying feel of it on their hands. Charles was in surgery and no one else was there as of yet. They swallowed as they washed the blood from their hands, but it wasn't coming off as easy as it should have. This blood wasn't scarlet, not the rich reds of small and non-life threatening wounds, but the deep and almost back crimsons of internal damage. 

Charles couldn't die. Not like this. 

They shuddered at the memory of- _There was so much blood on the floor. Charles was so still in the empty dorm room. The door had been ajar and it was by accident that Lafayette looked in. And they had just reacted.-_ finding him. It was awful. The blood wasn't coming off and Lafayette was resorting to scratching at it in their attempts to get it off. 

"Lafayette?" They whipped around at the haggard looking form of Lin standing across from them, "Oh my god, that blood. Whose...?"

"Not mine." Was the choked reply. Lin blinked, dark eyes trying to piece things together. "Chase was stabbed in the dorm."

And the color drained from Lin's face instantly. He sagged against a stall as if he could barely stand on his own feet anymore. Lin sucked in a wet and ragged breath before he steeled himself as best as he could. It wasn't much. "Is he?" 

"Surgery. I haven't heard anything." 

Lin let out a breath but then he paused when he noticed the way Lafayette was trembling. He took a step forward, hands out as if approaching an injured animal, but then he gripped Lafayette by the elbow in the efforts to ground the larger person. "What's wrong?" 

"His blood won't come off." 

"Here," Lin whispered, taking soft and trembling hands in his own shaking ones. They seemed to shake together, one with anxiety and the other with exhaustion. The water from the faucet was cold on their hands. "let me help." 

_"Mon Petit Lion!" Lafayette cried when he saw the way Alexander was knelt over in the tall grass, sweat drenching his uniform as his hair was stained dark with blood that was a mix of his and dead enemy soldiers. He could feel the way the sun was baking him in his dress uniform, but there was no doubt in his mind when he saw Alexander that the man was already beginning to sicken before the battle even started. Alexander gagged on nothing as the Frenchman approached, "What ails you?"_

_He made a low hissing noise in his throat, trying to find the words. He spoke something in French, the broken form that he learned first, but that was another matter. It took him a second before he translated it into English. Lafayette understood both times. "I can't-I can't. Oh Lord, there's too much."_

_The other men weren't paying attention to them. They were trying to find their way out of the Monmouth heat before they joined their dying companions and rotting in the sun. Lafayette knelt down, hand on his friend's back as Alexander tried to move but the trembling wouldn't stop. The Frenchman knew of men who could do so much but their bodies would break down after too much time in the heat._

_Alexander could do most anything with ease, everything with effort, but even he would ail with heat._

_The taller and skinnier Frenchman picked up the Immigrant and rushed to the medical tent. He needed something cold, he needed so much, but they had so little._

"Lafayette," Lin whispered when he noticed the way the Frenchperson was losing color in their face. He squeezed the bird-like yet powerful wrist in his hand. Lafayette blinked down at him after a minute, "what happened?" 

"I had a flashback." 

"It's okay, just breathe. I get them too. You'll be fine." Lin was saying so much at once but Lafayette picked it up instantly even though Lin hadn't. Lafayette wanted to reach forward and beg for a glimpse of his Alexander, but he couldn't. Not yet. "Just breathe. I'm here, okay?" 

* * *

 

Philip and Laurens just stared at the mass of people gathering outside the school grounds. Students and community members were beginning to assemble. The two reincarnates stood close to one another, fears of previous lives being repeated were hammering through their veins. The students were yelling about wanting answers, the community members were wanting the whole story and not the pieces they were being fed through students. 

"They'll tear this place to shreds," Philip whispered, as he grabbed John's sleeve, "Chase was stabbed. Sam was poisoned. There's no suspect. John, no one feels safe anymore. What are we going to do?" 

The shouting began to grow into chants. Chants grew into a chorus of screaming.  _"Answers! Answers! Answers!"_ The two shivered. Memories were beginning to thread through their minds but John only replied, not looking at the younger man, "We have to try to do something." 

"John, you heard Dolley! We have no suspects anymore." Philip spun John around, eyes wide with an odd mix of fevered fear and rage, "Reynolds is gone, Jackson has an alibi for the stabbing and the poisoning. We have no one. And the school won't give out a story. What the hell is going on!?" 

"Something bigger than us." 

The shouting grew and the people were surging forward, despite the amount of police officers and campus security that were beginning to gather. Philip's grip tightened sharply while John only took a step back. A window shattered and suddenly, there was chaos. People shoved forwards, others tried to run, the security pushed back. Everything happened at once. 

The two only heard the pained screaming. 

And they tried not to drown in awful memories of past deaths as they ran. 

It was useless to try.

* * *

 

Lin had been there since Sam was admitted. He hadn't moved from his boyfriend's bedside for more than an hour at a time. He stayed, Sam would need him eventually, right? So why not stay until he wakes up? The doctor, a Mrs. Abigail Adams, had remarked that Sam was getting better, albeit slowly but it was still  _better_. And so Lin had stayed, taking a vow to never leave. 

But, that didn't stop the awful memories? Hallucinations? Daydreams? from tearing into his consciousness. One moment he could be sitting in the chair next to Sam's bed, reciting lines from his musical and then suddenly:

_Mother is sick. And she's dying. And it's his fault._

_"Oh my sweet boy," his mother whispered, skinny and shaking and too hot arms wrapped around him in a promise to never let go, "you'll do great. I promise." She coughed, a wet and rasping sound that sounded so_ wrong  _"You'll study and learn and be someone. Oh, my dear boy, you're so beautiful. Your mind is the best thing you have and you use it so well. You'll do great."_

_"Mama?" Was all he could manage around the lack of air he could get into his lungs, the heat in his body, the coldness he felt, and the blood that always seemed to gather in his throat and mouth. He coughed, red spewing from cracked lips, "Mama?"_

_"I'm here my sweet boy," She whispered, her arms were loosening but he didn't realize. Sleep took them often, but they were together. Where had his brother gone? He was still here, but where had he gone? To fetch the doctor, oh yes, that was right, "you'll get better. You'll get better."_

_Hands were stoking through the greasy and sweaty hair that was matted into strings at his head. His mother continued whispering, "You'll get better. You'll get better. You'll get better."_

_"Mama?" He sobbed against the pain._

_"You'll get better. You'll get better. You'll get better."_

_It was so hot. Too hot. Yet, he shivered and cried because he was too cold. He was dying but no death would take him. He wanted to go. "Mama, please. It hurts."_

_"You'll get better. You'll get better..." And so she continued._

_He noticed exactly when she stopped._

_He felt the arms around him loosen._

_And his mother was dead._

_And he couldn't seem to die._

Lin bolted up, eyes wide as his stomach churned. Sam hadn't moved, but that didn't stop Lin from bolting into the sick man's bathroom. He collapsed on the floor, vomiting into the toilet bowl. He gagged, still tasting blood and bile. He couldn't stop heaving. It hurt. There was so much pain. And he kept at it, even when someone placed a hand on his back. It was large and bird-like. 

"Shh, shh," George whispered, "You'll be fine."

He gagged and sobbed at the pain. 

"My mother is dead." He sobbed. George hugged him around the middle, avoiding his stomach area as Lin continued to sob in his brother's arms, "My mother is dead. I can't die, I couldn't seem to die. I leave a trail of corpses behind me." 

"No, no," George pushed, holding onto his brother as he tried to ground him somewhere real and here in the now, "listen. Those are memories. They aren't yours. Breathe, Lin, breathe You're doing great. Come on, let it out. I got you."

Lin continued sobbing over a woman he couldn't remember the name of, he only remembered her dying. He sobbed until he couldn't, then he just sat on the floor with his brother. Rocking quietly as pieces of a life he didn't know began to work themselves together. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for reading and feel free to leave a comment and what not! You guys are really amazing and one of a kind! :D


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha, remember when I said that there were going to be shenanigans to get ham to remember? I lied. It's all pain, guys. ;)

Lin came back to school on a Monday. Sam was still comatose in the hospital but he practically acted like nothing bothered him. He smiled and laughed despite all the worried looks sent his way. There was something there, a carefree attitude that hadn't been there before. Aaron had avoided him like the plague. One of the reasons being he didn't want to see the glare he knew that Lin would give him, but he wanted to avoid the topic of them for as long as he could.

But, naturally, Lin had other plans.

"Aaron," Lin called to him as Burr tried to run, all in vain really because strong fingers had grabbed his sleeve and wouldn't let him leave, "we need to talk." Lin paused for a moment and when he saw the flash of fear in the other man's eyes, a small grin cracked across his features. "I'm not mad anymore."

"What?"

"I'm not mad," He reiterated, "it's pointless to be mad. Sure, you said some pretty shitty things but that doesn't mean we can't get past this, right? So, I'm not mad."

Aaron sucked in a breath and pulled away, "I told you to stop trying because you weren't doing anything right. How the hell can you just forgive that?"

Lin smiled wide and Aaron could feel his heart practically melt. The clouds moved and the two were bathed in a warm golden light. "Because I know you. You're a nice guy, through and through. You'd never intentionally hurt me, right?"

"I-"

"I know you wouldn't." Lin cut him off with no hesitation, "Besides, you were one of the first people at the hospital after Sam went in. And, I know you weren't all that close with him, so I guess I kind of deduced you were there as moral support?"

Aaron smiled nervously in return, "Lin, listen to me. I didn't mean to say those things...I was just stressed."

"I understand."

Lin's face was passive and even. And he realized one thing. Lin did understand. He understood flashbacks, he understood the stress, except he didn't know who he was supposed to be. Aaron sucked in a breath. "Lin-"

"No, I-I really understand." He said, his shoulders hunched over and suddenly he looked so much smaller than any version of Hamilton had the right to be, "I probably shouldn't tell you this or anything, but I've been having flashbacks. Like, full on different lifetime, not deja vu."

"Do you know who you were?"

"No...I just know he-I? went through a lot."

Aaron could only smile because if he didn't he either would have started to cry or scream, "Well, I've been through a lot of lives myself so if you need help with anything, just say the word and I'm there. No matter the time. During class? I'm there. Four in the morning? I'm there."

Lin smiled wide, white teeth shining and eyes glittering. Aaron could practically feel a voice pricking at the back of his mind, a whispering feeling that sent shivers up his spine, _You like his innocence. He doesn't know what you did to him_ -He shook it off. Lin grabbed his hands and laughed, "Oh thank you! Want to go for some coffee in the cafe? The barista said she'd swing me and friend a free latte when she was working."

"I'm always a slut for free food," Aaron laughed.

Lin cackled, "Same, same. Let's go!"

And as he was tugged after Lin, the smaller man's grip on his hand never wavering, Aaron couldn't help ut melt just a little. It felt so right, did it not?

* * *

 

"Welcome to your home away from home!" George laughed, pushing the door open and stepping into his family's penthouse. Charles followed in behind him, Lin even further back, "Since our dorm has become a crime scene and we can't go back yet, our parents said we could crash here. They went back to England a few days ago so we have the whole place to ourselves."

Charles gaped at the view from the windows. He blinked against the glittering lights of the city. He felt like he was in a perch above it all, just staring out into the commotion like an outsider. He swallowed, "Really? You guys have this much space in New York City? Guys, this is like the life here."

Lin made a humming noise as he flopped down on the large couch. He grinned at his brother and his friend, "Yeah, until lightning strikes the building and you can feel the current for days."

George slapped him upside the head and Lin laughed in return, "Hey, don't frighten the guest!"

"Nah," Charles laughed and he shook his head. He sat down on the couch next to Lin, wincing as the sutures in his midsection pulled. He didn't need to look to see the worried looks, "I'm fine, I promise."

_He woke up and he didn't feel any pain. He could feel pin and needles in his hands and feet, but then again, better that than dead. He let out a small noise as his fingers tapped against the wound. A small throbbing sensation started and then he felt a hand grab his. His vision didn't focus, but he heard a voice-no, wait, Lafayette, say, "Don't. You were stabbed. The doctors said you'll make a full recovery, just don't touch it."_

_"Hmn?"_

_"Hey, don't worry, you're gonna be just fine. You're probably so drugged up you won't feel anything. Okay? Just, go back to sleep."_

Charles blinked out of the flashback before grinning at his two friends. "See?"

The three sat back on the couch and stayed silent for a while. After a few minutes, Charles looked over at the brothers at either of his sides, "I don't know why Reynolds did it, but something was scaring him."

"He stabbed you," George said softly, "I'm pretty sure that'd scare anyone."

"No, before." Charles insisted, "He was going through our stuff, well more your stuff Lin and then I found him. I tried to scare him off, you know? Then he pinned me against the wall and pulled his knife on me. I said we could help him with whatever...then he stabbed me. But the point is, he was scared before. "

"Why would he be going through my stuff?" Lin asked, his brow furrowed, "That makes no sense."

The two slowly turned to George and after a few moments, Charles blinked, "George...do you know something?"

George said nothing for a few moments, but then he let out a shaky breath. "I need you guys to promise you won't tell anyone if I showed you this, okay?"

The two agreed almost instantly.

And George stood up, the other two followed more slowly but together they made their way to a large door. Lin raised an eyebrow, "What are you doing? This is dad's office."

"I know." George said sternly, "This has to do with the company and a large part of this is the reason you were adopted, Lin."

"What the hell?"

"Trust me."

Charles sucked in a breath, "This is insane...but, I think we need to hear him out."

George nodded and then pushed the door open. The office was empty and dark, a small layer of dust beginning to gather from lack of use. Charles breathed in and finally said, "I thought he'd use this room."

"The house has been empty for a while," George shrugged, "besides, dad hates working at home. Wants to spend time with the family, you know?"

The three made their way across the room and finally, George sat in his father's chair. He switched on the computer and after he logged in, he went into the business files almost immediately. Lin watched, perplexed as George bypassed every security code with ease.

"How do you know this stuff?"

"Dad likes to use dates for his passwords. His and mom's wedding, my birthday, the day we adopted you. He's sentimental like that."

And before anyone could say anything, George sat back. The computer screen glowed with files open and finally, George gestured at the screen. "Read, it's everything they have. Don't ask me anything until both of you finish."

"George...how did you even find out about this?"

"I got curious."

* * *

 

"Ms. Madison," Washington greeted as Dolley stepped into his office. He could see the files in her hand, "what can I do for you?"

"Mr. Washington," she smiled. Her smile was real and the emotion was real, and that made her terrifying. "I came to talk to you."

"Why?"

She sat down across from him and laid the stack of files on his desk. Dolley sat back after that and after a few moments, she spoke, "These files have everything. It has everything the investigation isn't telling you."

"What does that mean?"

The two turned to see one Martha Washington standing behind them, the door to the office clicked behind her as she entered fully. Her question was directed at the two of them, but her gaze was all for Dolley. "What does that mean, Ms. Madison?"

Washington knew scare tactics when he saw them, but seeing them on the outside between two powerful women was honestly more terrifying than it had any right to be. Washington cleared his throat and as Martha went to perch herself on the armrest of his office chair, Dolley opened the files.

"Trust me, no one is being honest with anyone anymore," Dolley said, eyes glittering with an odd emotion, "I've seen my dad take on a lot of cases, but there's something about this one that is making him back down. There's more than enough information, from the files alone, to keep you, Mr. Washington, off the suspect list. Yet, you're still at the number one spot."

Martha's friendly expression died instantly and suddenly, she was replaced by something cold. She leveled that dead stare on the younger Reincarnate in front of her. Dolley didn't flinch. Martha blinked, "Why is he still on there?"

"My main theory is that they either don't have a number one suspect for Sam Shepherd's poisoning or they won't name who did it," Dolley replied, voice low and even. "But, from an outside perspective, it does look like George did do it. Samuel Shepherd, a suspected reincarnation of a known Torie and an outsider to your um, squad, of reincarnates. Not to mention his obvious connection to Lin or as I presume, Alexander Hamilton. You were one of the closest people to him during your time together and to get him back, anyone could argue you'd do anything."

"That bullshit," Washington breathed out. He swallowed the second he said it, but that didn't stop the mental of image of him getting dragged out of the school in handcuffs from happening. His reputation in both lives would have been destroyed. His life would come crashing down around his eyes. And he wouldn't get out of the rubble, "I wasn't even at the school when he was poisoned. I was with Martha and a few other professors. I'm not even in the same building as the biology department."

Dolley's calm expression cracked and she smiled, "Exactly. Your alibi checks out perfectly."

"You're going to use this aren't you and take down the DA, aren't you?" Martha said suddenly, Dolley blinked and frowned. Martha cocked her head to the side, "I'm right, then. Let me take a guess, you're going to blackmail your father with this, aren't you? He'd go down for criminal neglect, lose his license and then go to prison. Not, to mention he'd be run out of New York. But, what do you gain from this?"

"It's my nuclear option," Dolley sighed and bowed her head, "I took an oath to protect this city and if I have to force someone to do their job, then I won't hesitate. I love my father, don't get me wrong, but I'm not watching someone bully the DA into putting down someone who has committed no crime."

"Someone is forcing him to do this?" George spoke up, "Why? Who?"

"Well, there's been a bit of a gang problem in the city..."

* * *

 

He tried not to make it a habit, honestly. The walk was horrendous and the day was beginning to get colder. He hated it, but he continued doing it. Thomas just sighed and shoved his hands farther into his pockets as he entered Trinity Church Cemetary. He passed wordlessly among the headstones, ignoring the eroded names before he came to one of the largest graves in the place. It was quiet uptown, there were no cars on the road. Even the birds in the trees were silent. 

"Come here often?" Angelica's voice rose up from behind him, but he didn't turn. She was beside him soon enough, "You're not the only one, you know? Eliza's been leaving the flowers." She nodded the assortments of flowers, all in various stages of life and death. Thomas kicked a brittle dried petal away from him, "And John still talks to him. You don't need to feel bad."

"I don't feel bad," Thomas sighed, "I don't even know why I come to visit. I hated him, you know? I mounted a bust of his head on my wall for god's sake once I had heard of his death."

Angelica's lip twitched into a half smile, "Did you? Did you really? If I remember correctly, it was you who made it a Witch Hunt for Burr. Also, you never spoke badly about him again. Even with Adams egging you on. So, I don't think you could have hated him that much."

"Maybe I didn't want him haunting me."

"You made your own version of the bible where there is nothing supernatural in it." Angelica shot back as she elbowed him in the side. It was playful, Thomas's laugh was not and that was something she caught instantly, "You hate what you did, don't you?"

He inhaled slowly and after a few moments of silence, he nodded. "I was a slave owner Angelica. I...Jesus Christ, I can't even think about Sally Hemmings without wanting to throw up. I tracked her down and I begged her to hit me, I begged her to do something. She didn't. I was crying and I was just begging her to do  _anything_. Because, I had done everything to her, you know? But, she just hugged me and let me sob."

"Sally is an amazing woman."

"She told me she won't forgive the old me," Thomas just laughed, his voice was thick and Angelica just linked her arm with his, "but, she wanted to get to know the new me. I mean, how the hell can she not be pissed at  _me_?"

Angelica shrugged, "I'm not the person to ask. I know Sally quite well and I'm not going to speak for her. She's a great person."

"She's a descendant of my daughter Patsy and I'm a descendant from her," Thomas said to no one, almost as if he was thinking out loud, "Ironic? Definitely." 

"Definitely," Angelica agreed,  "So, back to our favorite Ham, what do you remember from finding out he had died?"

Thomas blinked, "Well-"

_"James," He greeted with a nod as his friend entered, a stern expression on his pale face. Jefferson looked up again, an eyebrow raised. He set the quill down, "What is ever the matter? Is Mrs. Madison ailing or perhaps your son?"_

_"None of that," Madison replied, he placed a folded newspaper from New York City on the desk. Jefferson blinked. He hadn't needed to return to New York City since the election. He reached for it and opened it. Jefferson read the headline, but Madison spoke it first, "Hamilton dueled Burr. Thomas, he died yesterday."_

_"The Vice President dueled him?" He reiterated needlessly, but he did it anyway. He stared at the paper but didn't read it, "What devil possessed Burr? Was he really that angry over Hamilton's support for me that he decided to shoot him?"_

_"I believe so," Jefferson looked at his friend closely. He could see the red-rimmed eyes not brought on by the Summer season. The black of his clothing and the white of his skin and hair brought it out. Madison coughed into his handkerchief, "What are we to do about this?"_

_Jefferson raised his eyebrows and set the paper down. He was calm, he had to be, but this was a deadly calm and anyone who knew him knew this. He may have been softspoken, but there was a large difference between calm and softspoken. "What we must. But, tell me James, were you not friends with Hamilton?"_

_"Once a long time ago, yes. We diverged after he showed his alliances to the Federalists," Madison sighed, "I felt betrayed by my old friend. But, now that I remember Hamilton has left behind seven children a wife, I regret our divergence more than ever."_

_"Burr made a widow out of a kind woman."_

_"I do not fear Mrs. Church as you do, Thomas," Madison shot back, "I fear Mrs. Hamilton more. If she put her mind and influence to destroy Burr, then she so could. Trust me."_

_"Even Schuyler money won't save the Hamilton's from debt." Thomas bowed his head, thinking of his own credits and lack of. He inhaled sharply but then smiled at the image of the yellow house in the city. He smiled at the image that even a man like Hamilton could find happiness. He wondered how. "I may not have liked Alexander, but I do not want to see his widow and the children-seven you say? My god-starve."_

_"I am going to New York to pay my respects and offer to end the debt of the family," Madison said slowly and surely. There was no changing his mind, "For, everything we, do not give me that look, have done. We slandered him relentlessly."_

_"How did this debt come around, if I may ask?"_

_Madison blinked. Jefferson didn't know if his friend realized he had a small smile. "When we were working on_ The Federalist  _together, he told me his dream was to build a home for his family since his had been robbed from him so often as a child. It is odd, is it not? I seem to forget how much had has-had gone through."_

_"As do I." Jefferson nodded and he glanced at the paper on his desk. He met his friend's gaze and both knew that Burr wouldn't survive this for long, "I wish you the best of travels. I will go to the city later to offer my condolences. There is so much work to do."_

Thomas blinked out of it and finished, "James told me. It was one of the first times we hadn't shit-talked him."

Angelica smiled, "I don't blame you there." She patted his arm and pulled away, "But, you know Thomas, you aren't a bad guy anymore because of your past self. Reincarnation is supposed to be a second chance. This is yours. Take it."

"Believe me, I'm trying." 

"If you mind me asking, how does Alexander fit into it?" 

He didn't answer, but the blush did.

She smiled.

* * *

 

"Good to have you back, Lin." Hale greeted as he saw Lin enter the Theatre. He was alone and James could only muse it was because George wasn't letting Charles out of his sight. Lin waved and instantly, as well as surprisingly, plopped down next to James. Hale only continued, "It's been a long time since we've done a musical. Lin, you mind leading today's events?"

And Lin only smiled. 

And, that was how James found himself standing on stage with Lin as a 'volunteer'. He hated being up here, not as much as Thomas, who wasn't there ironically. Lin smiled, bounced on his heels as gestured to the others with wild hands. 

"You have to keep the audience engaged, you know?" He gestured towards James, "If James and I are just talking or even doing a duet, we can't just stand here. We have to have movement on stage or peoples' attention is going to go from one hundred to zero. Rarely will you see dueting couples have a very complicated dance, their dances would either stop completely when they're talking or they'd slow down. That's why the chorus is so important!" He clapped his hands together and gestured to the people gathered behind him. "They're for emphasis!"

"For example," Lin lunged at James' hands and grabbed them, holding them to his chest and for a second his expression softened. James blinked. It was easy to forget he was just getting into character and that knowledge stung awkwardly, " _You are the person I want to be with every day, and this is something I've been afraid to say. You're the guy, I am so totally into."_ James could hear the chorus. He could hear the harmonies. He could hear his heart. He could see Lin. Lin cut off instantly and dropped James' hand, "See? It works! Chorus is important, screw anyone who says the opposite!"

There were a few cheers of agreement from the audience. 

Lin glanced at James and smiled, "Anything you want to add?"

There was an odd tingling in his hand and he shook his head, "Nope."

* * *

 

"You wanted to see me?" Max Robes smiled as Eliza sat down, he was friendly. He ran a hand through curly blonde hair before pushing his glasses up on his nose, "I thought you understood the physics homework? Newsten explains everything and you're the top in the class."

"No, I got the work down," Eliza explained, wringing her hands as she sat back on the Central Park Bench, "I need a favor."

His eyebrows raised. "How so?"

"You're the computer science major. I need your help to get into somewhere," Eliza said flatly. A pigeon landed at her feet and cooed at her expectantly. She frowned and Robes just laughed and tossed the bird a piece of bread, "I know its illegal but you know about the whole thing with Sam, yeah?"

Max nodded, "Yeah. Nate still refuses to eat or drink anything from the school. Whatcha need? I'm not heartless but I do have limits to what even I can hack into."

Eliza nodded, "Can you get into city cameras?"

"Of course, it's not hard." Max agreed, he motioned to his backpack, "Would you like to do it now?" 

"Not yet."

"Why do you even want to do this? If we got this is like, probably a felony at least." Max shrugged, he took a drink of his Mountain Dew before adjusting his headphones, "And if the school found out, oh man, we'd get hardcore black-listed from every school in the states. Twenty bucks on me getting deported back to Puerto Rico."

"I want to find Rey-I mean Ronald James. Everyone knows he stabbed Charles, but even with no proof he was behind the thing with Sam, he's on the suspect list."

"He can't get back onto campus if that's what you're worried about," Max grinned, he tossed another piece of bread to the birds beginning to gather around him. Eliza smiled to herself when she realized he was giving more of his sandwich to the birds than eating it himself, "the school has like triple security and police on campus after that shit that went down at the Union last week."

Eliza leveled her gaze and steeled herself. The wind blew and she faced the biting feeling head-on, "I know, I want to  _find him_. I want him behind bars."

"This wouldn't have to do with a certain Lin La Vega, would it?"

And she flushed scarlet.

He tossed his head back and laughed loudly in return, "Oh, don't worry about it, Sweetie. I've seen how all of your squad acts around him. You're all in love with him, I'm a solid ninety-nine percent sure. Don't worry," He winked, "I'm not judging. They guy's cute."

"Yeah, well..."

"There's also the rumor going around that he's the guy on the ten dollar bill too." Max shrugged, "I don't put much stock into the rumors but, with all of you in one spot, I wouldn't be surprised." His eyes never left Eliza, "But, yeah, I can do the camera thing. Give me a time and a place. I'll be there."

"Thanks."

"No problem, we could even do it over coffee if you like," Max winked as he tossed the rest of his bread on the ground and multiple birds launched themselves at it. There was a rush of feathers and squawked, "besides, what Reynolds did was very  _unvirtuous_." 

* * *

 

He could have picked this place, wherever it was, out of anywhere. He knew the feeling, he had felt it before. The emptiness of feeling but the whole sensation somewhere in his chest. He knew where he was. He couldn't name it. He had been here before, but he hadn't? There was a darkness engulfing him, pulling him down somewhere deep. He could hear things. So many things, but he didn't know what they were. Voices? Sure. Memories? Hallucinations? He couldn't tell the difference.

 _"Good day to you, Reverend. I see you're doing the Lord's work today."_ It passed him before he could realize where it was from. He didn't know it, but he knew he had heard it before. It was distant, something in passing perhaps.

 _"Are you really sure you want to do this, Samuel? There are consequences."_ That felt familiar. He knew those words. He could remember his mother saying them to him when he left. He made his choice. He had heard it from somewhere else. Where? He could smell the wet ink _._

The darkness twitched, then writhed and began to dull. It was grey now, the sludge holding him down was lessening and everything was buzzing. Another voice was getting closer and closer,  _"What about all that we've lost? The lives in Boston? Our dignity? Why should a tiny island across the sea regulate the price of tea?!"_ He knew that one instantly. It wasn't this life. 

It wasn't this life. 

He had lived another life. 

He was one of them. A Reincarnate.

And it all came flooding in.

 _"Imprison the Torie! Leave him to rot!"_ slammed up against,  _"You're a reverend? I swear, these Patriots are goin' crazy. All I had was some loyalty to the King and suddenly I'm a devil. Unfair, you know? Mind saying scripture? It's Sunday."_

Memories. These were memories. Who was he? He knew himself now. But, the truth of the past was getting muddied. 

 _"War's over. We won. You said you're packin' up to go to Scotland? Well, I'll be damned. Good luck over there, they won't like you."_ He got the feeling whoever said that was right. He could feel another voice building and- _"A reverend is a reverend, but don't get me wrong. You can learn all about the gospel here but you're a colonist, and plenty of people lost their kids to your people."_

_"Going back to the colonies? Well then, Reverend, best of luck to you. People like the church, they won't like you."_

_"Welcome to Connecticut, Reverend. You're always welcome here."_

_"I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, Reverend. You're opening the church and I do think people want to know who his preaching, you know?"_

He could feel it. The answer. The voices were getting louder. They weren't stopping. So many were asking his name. They weren't stopping.  _"Who are you?" "What's your name again?" "You were the farmer weren't you?" "Oh, you look familiar! Who were you again?"_

He coughed on the answer. He bit out the answer. He shouted it. "Samuel Seabury."

_"Please. Come on, Sam, I need you."_

And his eyes opened. 

Sam woke up choking on the tube in his throat. His hands were clawing at his throat and the lights were too bright. There were so many strangers. They were trying to help and he was still choking. Hands were holding him steady. He was choking. The doctor was yelling something. It was too loud. It was too bright. It was too cold. It was too much.

But, he was awake. 

He was alive.

* * *

 

"Oh, wait, you're that La Vega kid, aren't you?" Lin turned the second he heard the strange voice. He blinked at the stranger. It wasn't a student and he had never seen him before. Lin nodded, "Oh, you probably don't know me."

"I can't say I do," Lin chuckled as he sat down at the cafe. It wasn't on campus. It was closer to Broadway and that's where he needed to be. The stranger smiled, "May I ask who you are?"

The man's scars on his face stretched with his smile. His teeth were white. "People tend to call me by a lot of different names, you know? Most call me Vladimir, others call me Jack, the occasional few say H.H. No idea why, but, you can call me Vlad. That's how you know we're cool."

"How do you know me?" 

"You're from Nevis. That hurricane killed your parents, remember? My people were supposed to come get you from the hospital but the Kings got there first."

Lin's eyes narrowed. "Who the hell are you?"

The scars moved on his face. They had an expression all their own. They showed more than his smile ever did. "Oh, but I think you know. Don't you? You've been avoiding your brother, haven't you? So, I guess he let you in on the family secret."

" _Cambios_." Lin said instantly, "You're one of them. You took the orphans and had them move your drugs."

"Plead the fifth."

"What the hell do you want with me? I know your file. You just admitted you had people. And I was an orphan. Point A to point B."

Vlad grinned and leaned forward, the chair was turned around and he rested his elbows on the backrest. "My dear, you're forgetting one thing. All you have is hearsay. So, I'm giving you something, so you give me something. Favor for a favor, you know?" 

Lin's gaze darkened and he could feel his heart beginning to hammer. This was bad. This was wrong. He was talking to a gang leader! "Well, I'll give you a few things. I Gave you my name. Interpol doesn't even have that. But, James Reynolds or as you know him, Ronald James, shouldn't be a problem anymore. He's been...taken care of. And my last thing, I'm not going to kill you."

No one in the cafe was looking. They heard him. They didn't take it seriously. Lin swallowed and felt the blood leave his face. "What do you want?"

"What's your opinion of the Kings?"

"Excuse me?"

"They adopted you, yet you kept your last name. You don't feel like you're a part of them. You're the only non-white person at family gatherings and people look down on you, am I right?" Vlad's points were correct and he only kept talking the more Lin stayed silent, "Your 'brother' is going to get everything and you'll get some sort of payment as retribution. You're going to have to work and good ol' Georgie is going to sit back and do nothing. You don't see them as your family, now do you?"

Lin knew it was his time to speak. Fear made him tell the truth, "I don't know. I-I don't know."

Vlad rested his head on his forearms and just smiled, an authentic kind one, at Lin. "It's okay, you don't have to. But, listen to me, you're not one of them. You like them, I can tell, but you don't want to call them family. Not yet. You feel like they adopted you like you were some stray puppy."

"You know the feeling."

"Quick learner," Vlad chuckled, "But, I got everything eventually. I think you know how I swung that, don't you?"

He swallowed down the bile and nodded. 

"So, listen to me Lin, I got a deal for you." Vlad began, he grabbed Lin's tea, took a sip and set it down, "When I give the word, a lot of my friends are going to get here. You know our story. The Kings destroyed us despite us giving kids education, giving orphans loving families, and giving kids a chance who wouldn't have had one anyway. They are rich! They don't understand anything I built."

Lin went to open his mouth but Vlad only held up a hand, "Listen, kid, if you just say you're with us, you and your friends won't get caught in the crossfire. I'm fair. I'm not a monster, no matter how anyone paints me."

"This is manipulation."

"Of course, not!" Vlad laughed loudly, tossing his back. People looked at him in annoyance at the outburst, but they just rolled their eyes and went back to ignoring them, "Oh, trust me, doll, I got ears everywhere. I know your group. Say the word Lin, none of your friends die. And with the Kings out of the way, you'll get everything. You can do good instead of sitting in some high castle with so little access."

He didn't stop, he only kept talking and Lin could only keep listening. "Don't you want to rise above your station? Don't you want to see good in the world and see no one suffer as you have? Imagine it, the two of us could do a lot of good together."

"If...if I said I was with you..." Lin said lowly, head bowed and eyes on the table, "then that's only one return thing. You gave me three things."

Vlad grinned and those pink scars stretched into something twisted and vile. Lin didn't look away this time. Vlad's eyes looked Lin up and down and he rested a calloused hand on Lin's. "Well, I think we could think of a payment."

"I-I-"

"Your choice kid," Vlad whispered to him as he squeezed Lin's hand, "You know what they say, gotta break a few eggs to make an omelet."

Lin inhaled and the hand over his moved. Lin blinked at the slip of paper. Vlad smiled and he stood, "Call me when you get your answer. Yes or no,  _I'_ _m_ not going to kill you. I want to give you a chance, doll. Besides, next time, we could always meet up at my place." 

And Vlad just walked away and out into the crowds. He disappeared. Lin just sat there, a hand over his mouth. His stomach rolled as the tea steamed. He could feel the harshness of the paper in his hand. He swallowed down the bile. He didn't know what to do. A powerful person, sure, a crazy guy who was on Interpol's most wanted, just offered him a place to help people. Lin stood on shaky legs and threw the tea away. He couldn't tell anyone. 

His phone buzzed. 

He saw the number. 

And he ran. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FINALLY BACK TO THIS GUYS!! KEEP UP YOUR AMAZING SUPPORT. IT KEEPS ME GOING <3 THIS LITERALLY WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT ANY OF YOU!
> 
> Author's Note:  
> I lowkey forgot to have a scene where TJeffs and Sally talk but I really didn't want to go back and add one. I don't want to get into that but I also don't want it wiped away. As for the thing in an earlier article where it was an "excerpt" from a textbook and it said that they usually aren't direct descendants, I made TJeffs a Hemings descendant because why tf not? (Yes, I'm aware of the fact that there's been recent debate over if it was really TJeffs who was the father because there's no DNA test because he had no sons to prove whether Sally's sons were his. I still firmly believe he fathered at least one, but I'm not gonna get into that rn. Gotta blast guys ;) )
> 
> ((Also: If anything in this chapter pertaining to the Sally thing upset any of you or is really insensitive or something like that, please don't hesitate to tell me! I don't want to offend anyone.))


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ;))))) Happy late Halloween my dudes. ;))))

"Everything's gone to hell," Tallmadge sighed, he sucked down another drink of his whiskey. He ran a hand through his dark hair before sitting back in his chair, "I haven't seen things gettin' this bad since the war."

Angelica smiled and raised her drink in a mock-salute, "I can agree. So, another thing Mr. Tallmadge, besides the invitation for the drinks and all things that suggest, why did you ask me?"

"What do you mean?"

She leaned forward, teeth bared in a smile, "You're dating Caleb Brewster, are you not? I hear things too."

Tallmadge's eyes narrowed, but Angelica only continued, "Your spy life isn't stopping in this one. So, who are you giving your information to?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't play dumb. I've heard from two other TA's about how you always seem to disappear the second something goes down." Her eyes glittered oddly but she only grabbed his forearms. Her long nails stretched through his long sleeves, "So, tell me Benny, who is it?"

"No one bad, trust me."

Angelica smiled, "The name."

"You know her," Tallmadge sighed, "Dolley Madison. She paid me at the beginning of the year to give her information."

"The beginning of the year?" Angelica raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean 'the beginning of the year'? We started in August. This whole thing didn't start until halfway through September!"

Tallmadge nodded but eventually, he let out a sigh, "I'm aware. I thought she only wanted inside information about which potential law students to, well, hit up for jobs later."

"But, then this happened."

"I haven't told her anything since she started being on campus," Tallmadge growled, "I have nothing to do with anything that happened to either of those two. You can trust me on that. I know nothing."

Angelica's nails dug in further, but she let go right after, "What did you tell her? Why did she want to know so early?"

"She said she just wanted to know. She's done this before," Tallmadge shrugged, "So I didn't think anything of it. I was going to ask Abraham Woodhull, an old friend if you didn't know if he'd like to get in on it, but he said no. I've done it before."

"That has to be illegal or something."

"No one had to know," Tallmadge sighed, "it was just some heads up, you know? But, just the fact she paid me extra this year confused me a bit."

She blinked, "What? She paid you more. Do you think she knew everything would go to shit?"

"I don't know anymore," Tallmadge sighed, "I honestly don't."

* * *

 

Sam blinked up at the two strangers who entered his room. He blinked again and saw a woman, older but not very, and a man aged well. The woman smiled kindly as she sat down next to him. He smiled. She looked like a mother.

"So, you're the famous Sam Shepherd I keep hearing about," The woman smiled. Sam blinked at her in confusion, he'd probably know her if he wasn't being currently pumped full of drugs, "Oh, sorry my boy, my name is Sarah King."

He blinked. That sounded familiar.

"And this is my husband, Matthew. We're George and Lin's parents." Her smile was kind, "Don't worry, sweetie, you won't have any bills to worry about. Just sit back. We wanted to see if you were doing okay."

"Mrs. King," It was honestly pitiful on how long it took him to slur out the words but Mrs. King's hand curled around his forearm, "it's nice to meet you."

"Just rest, sweetie." Mrs. King smiled as she patted her arm, "We can talk when you are more awake. You're going to be fine."

Sam smiled lightly, "Okay, mom."

He closed his eyes and despite the darkness around him, he could hear a murmured voice. And then something else. It was far off and yet he knew who it was.

"Oh hello, mom and dad," Lin's voice echoed into his thoughts, "I hope you're aware that lying to your kids is bad."

And everything was gone.

* * *

 

Peggy laughed as they were swung around by Lafayette, the string quartet played louder and louder all the while. It was fun and almost exactly like the nights of parties from before. The largest difference was the low light caused by the lights overhead.

"Sometimes," Lafayette laughed, "I miss the old times a lot, especially now. Dances were so much more fun when everyone knew how to dance."

The two laughed louder. Two other couples swung past them, too fast and too close to be proper. Peggy shook their head, "Can you believe it? Sam's awake and Lin's back."

Lafayette grinned, "He's over the moon, but there is another problem."

"What's that?"

The taller one leaned in, lips brushing the shell of Peggy's ear. Couples swung past and the music crescendoed, yet Lafayette's words were clear, "Tallmadge has been selling us out since the beginning. And someone's been lying to him."

"How do you know that?"

"Dolley knew that Lin was a reincarnate."

Peggy blinked up and frowned, "What do mean? That rumor's been going around for weeks now. I'm surprised Lin isn't aware of it."

"The rumors say he's Alexander Hamilton," Lafayette continued on, "Yet, Tallmadge thought that Lin was someone else."

"So, Tallmadge didn't start the rumors. But, how does that prove someone was a liar?"

"They said he was John Andre."

"Was?"

"As in Lin had a revelation and was keeping it secret. Tallmadge reported, Dolley kept that fact secret, all of us confirmed that that idea was wrong. Someone is aware of all of this. Tallmadge. Us, even before all the knowledge was out. Someone is ahead of all of us."

The two pulled away from one another as the song ended. They bowed but then, Lafayette quickly snagged an arm around Peggy's waist and pulled the two of them to the side of the room. Peggy's eyes were dark as they looked up, "How are you sure?"

"I knew Benedict Arnold," Lafayette whispered, "he was the best definition of a snake ever created. We know how it goes. There is a liar somewhere on campus who knows about everything. On both sides. Peggy, listen to me, everything just got more dangerous."

Peggy blinked and swallowed as the pieces slid together, "They're not on our side, are they?"

"That's the one thing no one knows."

"' _Something is rotten in the state of Denmark_ '," Peggy replied quickly. Lafayette blinked at the reference and nodded, "And there is a rat. And, I'm going to find out who."

"That was exactly what I was thinking."

* * *

 

Eliza smiled in a greeting as George sat across from her. The Eldest King Son raised an eyebrow as she leaned back in her chair. The chessboard of the park stood between them. Eliza smiled again as George looked down at the board and the white pieces at his fingertips.

"I got your message," He said simply, picking up the scratched king and watching it glint in the sunlight, "So, why do you want to talk?"

"There is a rat in the school and I like to think you know who."

George set down the piece, "Well, I have no idea what you're talking about. All I know is that Tallmadge couldn't see through a lie. It's quite funny, the creator of a spy ring was lied to."

Eliza chuckled, "If there's something bad spoken about Tallmadge, there's one thing I remember greatly," Her dark eyes flitted upwards and they sparkled perfectly with the pattern of the board, "that he's not stupid. Isn't it important to keep up the ruse?"

"You're saying Tallmadge knew about the lie and went with it anyway?"

"Who wouldn't?"

George pursed his lips and just smiled, "I know many things when it comes down to it. I deal with secrets and especially here. I know who is sleeping with who, which teachers are flirting and who gets information from who."

"So, who was Tallmadge getting his information from?"

"What is the point if I tell you right now? You could lynch the wrong man and right now, it's the last thing you want to do. The school is already tearing itself apart."

"George," She sighed out the name, forgetting how once her sisters had giggled about what they would say to the king, "listen to me, please, you know how dangerous it is now. If someone knows anything about Lin, then you have to tell me who it is. I can tell Washington and he'll trust me."

"For Lin or your husband?"

"Excuse me?"

"The worry," George replied, his face dead as stone but then there was a flicker of anger as he repeated, "are you worried about Lin or your husband?"

A cold wind brushed her neck and yet, she didn't shiver. George's lights eyes were dark with his rage but Eliza stayed calm, "I worry for both. Lin has his right to live, yet I don't want to see my husband denied again a right to his second."

"So, it's your husband." George blinked and then his rage snapped his passiveness, "And you don't get why I want to keep my knowledge away from you? You're in it for Alexander and I'm in it to protect my brother. All of you, that's all you want. Alexander."

"I-"

"That's why you gathered around us, isn't it? To get closer to Lin?" George growled, "So, forgive me for being a bit slow to give out information. You want a name, Eliza, then you have to give me a name in return."

"What do you mean?"

"You're the kind sibling," George smiled, "you know many people because people trust you. If I am to give up something, then so must you. I want to protect my brother and if someone around here knows everything enough to either lie or make accusations way back then, then they're dangerous. So, Elizabeth, I suggest you give me something before you expect me to give you something."

Eliza blinked and frowned. This wasn't some game she could win. George meant well and he wanted Lin safe. Eliza swallowed down the guilt when she realized why she was even doing this. Insurance for her husband's safety and Lin's by extension. She never placed Lin first, only Alexander. She let out a sigh and looked up, George's pale eyes were on her and he didn't smile at all. 

"Max Robes has been hacking into the city's security cameras for me so we can find Reynolds." 

George rested his head on one of his hands and he gestured with his fingers, "Tell me something I don't know, you do forget that I'm in computer science with him, right?"

Eliza blinked, trying to remember something that would be of interest. She blinked and remembered-

_"Miss Schuyler," The voice was smooth and polite as he kissed her knuckles, "it is lovely to meet you. You're a welcome face in this world of strangers, I assure you." He winked and Eliza felt her cheeks grow hot. She could feel her sisters' eyes on her along with that of her parents as the man offered his hand. She only then heard the violins, "Would you be kind enough to allow me a dance?"_

She shook herself free and rubbed her fingertips together with the memory of a ticket stub from a Broadway musical from a few months ago, "John Andre is on Broadway and he's been conversing with Lin." 

George blinked and smiled. "Nate Bostane has been feeding information to Tallmadge. I reckon he doesn't know who Lin is supposed to be, but he's probably too far in that Napoleon Complex of his to realize."

* * *

 

Philip yawned as he walked back to the dorms. Frost coated the leaves and grass and he only hugged his coat tighter around him. The moon glowed and everything held a silver hue. He let out a breath and it was only fog. He adjusted his backpack and continued on across the campus. Something rustled behind him in the quiet of the night.

He stopped. And turned.

And instantly regretted it.

"Oh, hey little guy," The newcomer smiled, scars twisting at his features as he stepped from the bushes, Philip took a step back, heart beginning to pound, "no need to be scared. Just had to visit a friend, don't worry, I'm just heading through."

"Why are you on campus?" Philip couldn't help himself. The man raised an eyebrow and the smile dropped, "You're not a student and you're not on staff. It's past midnight."

"Needed to check on a few things, but hey," The man stepped forward and Philip swallowed as he stepped back again, "you're not going to say anything."

There was a clicking noise and Philip could see the glint of the gun barrel in the middle of the night. He held up his hands and the man only chuckled, "Trust me, I don't want to shoot you if I don't have to, but if you don't get goin' then I'm going to have no choice."

"I-" He couldn't breathe. Something was wrong. This was different. Memories were bubbling up, "I-"

_"Oh my god, oh my god," His second was holding him, yelling in fear at the doctor to do something as Philip babbled helplessly. Everything felt fuzzy and on fire as his hip screamed with pain. Oh god, oh god. He was spitting up red-coated saliva as he cried, sobbing and shivering as the doctor ran over, "I want my mom, oh my god."_

"I-I, what, kid?" The man sighed, he clicked the safety off of the gun and aimed it at Philip, "Speak up, I can't hear you. I hate mumbling."

_"Come on, come on," His friend was carrying him and Philip sobbed. The doctor was at their heels, barking orders as he was set on the table or somewhere. He couldn't remember where he was, it wasn't Weehawken. It wasn't home. He sobbed and couldn't hear anything over his friend saying "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," as he held him down to stop the thrashing, "I'm sorry. It's gonna hurt."_

Philip blinked, squared his shoulders, "Get out of here."

"I don't take orders from Pipsqueaks." 

"You have less than five minutes before security walks past." Philip called over and the man with the scarred face only blinked in return, "You can leave right now and never worry about a murder charge. So, get out of here and no one ever has to know you were here."

"No one has to know, eh?" 

"Yeah." Philip tried to breathe through the phantom pain tearing up through his side. His world was greying and threatening to tilt, but he stood tall all the while, "Just, leave. No trouble, all right?" 

The stranger only laughed as he put the gun away. Philip let out a shaky breath but then the man only turned back towards the path he intended to take. He called back over his shoulder, "Oh yes, and Philip, no one is going to believe you, you know?" 

And he was gone.

Philip reeled. How did he know his name?

* * *

 

Martha Washington narrowed her eyes as she shut the door behind herself. The lone student looked up and her eyes narrowed. He seemed to pale considerably as he stood. The conference room was empty and Martha blocked the door, he wasn't going anywhere. She breathed and remained calm, for now.

"So, Mr. Bostane," She greeted with a smile, "don't you know that lying about things can get you kicked out of school?" 

"Excuse me?" He blinked twice and Matha blinked. Got him. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Nathan,  _sit down_." She growled and when he didn't, she roared, "Sit down!" And once he did, she stood back and admired the way Napoleon seemed to crumble under the rage of a woman. She approached him and he shrank back, "Why would you lie about it?"

"I still-"

Martha slammed his hand on the table and he jumped. "No, you filthy little liar. You know exactly what I'm talking about. You wrote to the dean and you accused my husband of selling grades. You knew he didn't do anything of the sort. You just wanted him out of here."

Nate blinked and suddenly, he wasn't playing games anymore. He blinked again and the scared student persona just melted away in the Hero of Austerlitz, "Now, Mrs. Washington, I'd be kind before you throw around accusations." 

"They're not accusations. You overstepped your bounds and you screwed yourself. I'm a lawyer and trust me, you're not scaring me one bit." She glanced over at him, he lounged back in the chair like it was a throne and she wanted to throttle him, "So, why did you do it? What would it get you?" 

"Someone offered to pay for my college if I got rid of Washington," Bostane shrugged, "I needed to do it."

"Who?" 

"Why would I tell you?" 

"Because I will have you arrested and then bury the case so far into the system that you'll spend ten years in jail before you get to court," Martha growled. It wasn't a threat, it was a promise. Bostane only grinned when he realized she wasn't playing, "So, are you going to tell me?" 

Bostane held up his hands and laughed, "It's hearsay and this is illegal in itself. You're bullying someone into a confession."

"No one would believe you."

"And no one believes you."

"Stalemate then." 

He nodded in agreement, "So, Mrs. Washington, if we're done here, then I should be going. I hear Samuel is awake, why don't you visit?"

She chuckled lowly and he stared, "You really think I'm that dumb? Sweetie, I have the receipts for school orders and what's missing from the Chemistry inventory." Bostane blinked slowly and she could hear him swallow, "And as a Chemistry major, you're the first person on the list."

He stood and went to leave but she caught him by the coat lapel. She hauled him close and whispered, "We know you poisoned Sam and we know you framed my husband. Your ass is grass."

She could see the sweat on his brow and he swallowed, "There are no cops to arrest me." 

"Wait for it," She smiled and let him go, "also, happy Halloween."

He stared at the floor and was pale. Martha only blinked at his reply, "Happy Halloween to you." 

* * *

 

Patsy yawned as she walked with Theo down the sidewalk. Jefferson only chuckled when he saw the two waiting for him. He held up his promised box of makeup materials from theatre club, "Thanks for waiting." 

"You promised to do our make up for Halloween, who wouldn't wait?" Patsy laughed, "Father-daughter bonding while also getting my makeup done for free? It's a win-win."

Thomas raised an eyebrow and stared at the two girls as he tried to find the third person in their trio, "Where's Philip?" 

Theo frowned, "He said he wasn't feeling well. I already dropped off all the stuff he missed from classes today, but he was just acting really weird. He's probably really sick or something like that." 

"Well, he's a Hamilton, so the little shit is going to get better." 

And the three of them laughed. 

They walked towards the dormitory and after a little while, Patsy glanced towards the two security guards passing them. She blinked and frowned, but when Theo cast a worried glance at her she sighed. "Have you noticed that there is a lot more security?" 

"Well, we've had a stabbing and someone was poisoned this year," Thomas replied curtly enough, "why wouldn't there be more security?" 

Patsy shook her head and reiterated, "No, I mean, why are there more actual police officers? There just went two and they weren't in campus security uniform. And on our way here we passed another one. Dad, Theo, there are actual police officers here." 

Theo frowned, "Well, it's Halloween, isn't it? Maybe they're just going to stake out here to stop the parties from getting too hectic." 

"She's probably right," Thomas shrugged. He went silent for a moment before blinking, "Theo's Glinda and you're Elphaba, right Patsy?" 

"Yep." Patsy chuckled.

* * *

 

"Aren't we looking just charming, Mrs. Rabbit?" John Laurens grinned at Maria. Her red dress glittered beautifully in the moonlight while he lounged back in his Continental Army Uniform. They looked like an odd pair, one blue and one red, "Enjoying the party, Maria?" 

She held up her shot. Tipped it back and downed it before replying, "Of course, it's amazing to finally be free of all the bullshit for the night. Come on,  _Lieutenant Colonel_ , let's go get wasted!" 

He laughed as she dragged him through the crowd of bodies. He didn't even hesitate to down the shot when it was handed to him and he just chuckled, "How long have you been here?"

"Half an hour?" Maria shrugged, "The Schuyler Siblings are around here somewhere." Her voice grew louder to be heard over the thumping and bass-filled music that fueled the grinding bodies, "But, I'm pretty sure Peggy is making out with Lafayette in the bathroom, so, don't try to find them!"

John blinked and raised a mock toast, "Raise a glass! If those two can get together with each other, then there's hope for our asses after all!"

"Here, here!" 

"Oh, are y'all doing shots without me?" Hercules laughed as he practically flung himself onto John, the shorter man swore playfully at the sudden and large increase of weight and yet, Hercules on draped himself over more. He reeked of alcohol and his Continental Uniform was getting more and more rumpled, "Come on, I demand respect in my house!"

Maria shook her head, "This isn't even your dorm, you idiot!" 

"Close enough." Hercules chuckled as he reached for another beer, "Isn't it nice, no bullshit for the night? We're all free!"

John groaned from under the mass of the man, "How much have you been drinking?" 

"Enough!" Hercules sang, chest rumbling at the off-tune word, "But, pass me another beer. Hey, bartender!"

"Herc, no!" John cried in faux horror and Maria laughed, shaking her head and sending her mass of curly hair fanning out, "Wait, have any of you seen Lin and his group. I heard they were going as the Heathers."

"Oh yeah!" Maria laughed, "You should see those skirts! Man, I wish my legs looked as good as theirs!" She took a sip out of her cup she had grabbed before continuing, "It was hilarious when they walked in, the amount of whistling. It was amazing! They even had their dances and songs memorized. It was a scene out of a movie, I tell you!"

Hercules laughed and John sighed, "Why don't I doubt it?" 

* * *

 

Lin was regretting head home as early as he did. He wished he had waited for Charles and George, but he just wanted to go home. He shook when the cold met his bare legs and he hugged his green jacket closer to him. He frowned and hated the fact he shaved for this. He stumbled a step and felt the world spin from the alcohol in his system. He let out a breath and paused until it stopped spinning. 

He put his weight on his heels and began to walk, ignoring the stabs of pain in his heels as he did so. He just needed to get back to the street and he could get a taxi. He looked over at the science building and could feel the hairs on the back of his neck prick up. He went to continue walking but his feet stopped doing what they were supposed to. He stood there in the cold.

_"Don't go that way._ _"_

"Excuse me?" Lin asked, turning around in the dark in the hopes of seeing someone. He didn't and he swallowed, "Okay, so now I'm hearing things. Man, I need to stop drinking."

_"Take a different route."_

"What the hell?" The voice was odd and he didn't recognize it. He shivered. Something was wrong and he didn't need some disembodied voice telling him it was. He steeled himself and inhaled, "Okay, Ghost, tell me what's going on."

_"It's dangerous."_

"Yeah, you said that enough. Who are you? What's wrong?" 

_"You'll die if you keep walking that way. Please, you can't. You'll die and so will I again."_

"Hold up, hold up, you're like past me or something?" 

_"Don't go that way, get away."_

Lin blinked, realized he looked pretty stupid just talking to himself with no one else around. He smiled to himself and took a step forward. "You're past me, right?"

It was silent. 

And then the building exploded. 

He vaguely registered fire and being thrown away. His head cracked against the pavement as heat warmed him up. He didn't feel cold anymore and yet he could feel blood. Glass rained down and the voice that had guided him, just whispered in his ear,  _"We'll talk soon."_

And then it was dark. 


	13. Chapter 13

"Where's my brother?!" George yelled, bursting through the doors of the ER. Charles was behind him, fingers twisted in his friend's red coat as George burst into the ER like a great bull of war. His pale skin was flushed red and he continued his yelling, despite the weird looks of the patients there. A nurse recognized him and scrambled towards them, "Where is my brother?!"

"Sir, sir," The Nurse stated calmly, "I need you to stay calm, you're upsetting the other patients."

"Where's my brother?" George demanded, blue eyes wild as he fought the urge not to cry, "Where's-oh my god, where's-"

Charles saw it first and before the eldest King child could tip forward onto the horrified nurse, he grabbed him. George just continued muttering his question as his breathing went ragged until it stopped altogether. George slid to the floor, heels scraping against the tile as Charles guided him down. George shook and tried to breathe but somewhere it was going wrong.

"Hey, hey," Charles whispered, holding his friend through the panic attack, "breathe with me. I know you can feel me breathe, just count with me, okay?"

George didn't respond, he just shook. Charles didn't care about the awkward way his legs were sprawled out, he didn't care about the horrified yelling from the Nurse as she screamed for help, all that mattered was that George made it out fine. The Nurses were taking forever but then, someone was leaning in front of them. Small hands were clasped on his and Charles could only watch in shock as Sam Shepherd himself knelt down in front of them.

He was thin and his cheekbones cast shadows, but his voice was strong. He pushed up his glasses and just spoke lowly, "George, listen to me. Breathe. One. Two. Three. Focus on the numbers and just...breathe. One two three."

Nurses watched on in awe as the patient calmed the shaking boy down, but when George finally took a breath that he controlled, Charles hugged him tighter. Sam smiled when George blinked up at him. Sam smiled, "Come on, I know where Lin is."

George just blinked and allowed himself to be helped up. The two supported a stumbling George on either side until they came to a room down the hall. And once they opened the door, Lin was sitting alone on a bed. His green coat was covered in dust and his hair was pulled back into a bun. A gash on his face was stitched shut while his legs were scratched up to all hell.

Lin blinked, eyes focusing on his brother in an instant. There wasn't a heartbeat before Lin launched himself at his brother.

"Oh my god," Lin sobbed into his brother's arms, "oh my god, are you okay?!"

"Am I okay?" George whispered, voice thick with tears, "are you shitting me right now? Am I okay? I didn't get blown up!"

And the two brothers laughed. Charles smiled and Sam returned it.

And, if the Nurse walked in later to see the four of them curled up on a single-person bed all asleep, she didn't say a thing.

* * *

 

The campus is hell in the morning. Students are running from their dorms to cars and back again. Rubble is being sifted through by construction workers and through the terrified mobs of parents being fought off by police, it was impossible to find any clear way to, well, anywhere. Eliza and Angelica held on tightly to Peggy, who had a large bandage wrapped around their head. It was an ugly thing, crushing their hair flat to their head as small shadows of blood gathered.

"Come on, Pegs," Eliza said slowly, her fingers tight in the yellow fabric of Peggy's coat, "just a little farther." She could still remember the terrified phone call from Peggy not even twelve hours before. She could remember Peggy's sobs as they told Eliza to get to the hospital. Eliza blinked out of it.

Angelica shook her head, "God, this is awful. Who the hell could have done this?"

As far as they knew, it was only the science building that had been hit, but there was no telling on if there were any bodies trapped inside. Nobody knew and that was the worst part. Over half of the campus had been shut down and that was just making everything so much worse.

Peggy blinked, their brow furrowing, "The school is closed isn't it?"

The two girls blinked. And after a few minutes, Eliza nodded sternly, "The school is on an extended break until further notice. The campus is to remain open to students who are unable to return home."

"Are you leaving, Liza?"

Eliza blinked, remembering her family in Ohio. She remembered the constant phone calls and text messages from her worried parents. They'd want her home, but she couldn't leave her siblings, not now. Eliza swallowed, "Not if I don't have to."

Peggy just smiled.

Angelica opened the door to the dorms and sighed, staring at the mass of people gathered. The common area was full and Angelica only shook her head before throwing at her other two siblings, "I hope the campus fixes the windows soon. Where are all of these people going to sleep?"

Eyes were on Peggy and people moved away when they saw their bandages. Eliza gritted her teeth and pulled her siblings through, "They'll have to find somewhere. At least our dorm didn't get hit, right?"

"Is Lafayette out of the hospital yet? They crushed my phone when they fell on me." Peggy piped up.

Angelica glanced at her phone and shook her head, "No texts from Herc, yet. You said Laf covered you when the windows shattered, right? So, they're probably getting x-rays or something to make sure the glass shards are all out or something."

"They'll be okay, Pegs." Eliza smiled.

Peggy just shrugged and let out a sigh, "What the hell are we going to do? My parents were talking about having me transfer somewhere else. Other schools have been offering students from her transfer scholarships."

"Jesus," Angelica shook her head, "Why isn't anyone offering help to fix this bullshit? Everyone only wants to grab the students not fix the damn problem."

Eliza blinked, dark eyes narrowing, "The President said he's sending in the FBI if this isn't resolved soon."

The three just shook their heads in the same way to convey their annoyance.

* * *

Washington shook his head and sat back on his couch. Martha was curled up against him, her head against his shoulder as she turned the pages in her novel. The news was the only thing on the television and at this hour, it was beginning to filter into weather predictions for the next day and political debates that were more yelling than actual intellectual debate. He sighed, reaching for the remote as two hosts argued with one another over the Columbia situation. 

It was a happenstance that he didn't change the channel when the breaking news icon glowed to life across the screen. The hosts stopped, sitting back before the female one spoke, "This just in, a body found this morning was recently identified as Columbia student Nathan Bostane. This information comes in after the explosion as the campus last night. The campus is closed until the beginning of the new year."

Washington leaned forward and Martha lowered her book. An Instagram photo of Nate Bostane was plastered across the screen, he was smiling and a few others from his French History class were in the photo. Martha inhaled sharply, "Oh my god." 

The broadcaster continued on, "It has come to our station's attention that before his death, Nathan Bostane released a statement through his Instagram account. The statement reads as follows:  _As of the middle of the first semester, I framed Professor George Washington of Columbia University for defamation and lying for Reincarnate students. He is innocent of all crimes but, I was forced to do it by the leader of the Cambios Cartel, Vladimir Holmes. He is in New York City and he is behind the mess at Columbia. I say this now because I will never get the chance to say it otherwise._ "

"Jesus Christ," Washington breathed out shakily, realizing what had transpired. A student was murdered for telling the world about what a cartel was doing. He was free from the suspicion but at the cost of a student's life, "He's dead." 

Martha blinked, "And he told the world about Vladimir Holmes."

On the news station, an FBI agent appeared with a stern look on his face. Washington could only sit there in numb horror as the events transpired around them:

_"Thank you, Agent Ford, for coming on the air, but I have to ask: Since we now know that the Cambios Cartel is behind the murder of Nathan Bostane, then what do you now think about the disappearance of Columbia student Ronaldo James?"_

_"In light of recent events and the knowledge that James has been missing for nearly a month, in my own professional opinion, I would say that he's either involved within the cartel or has been killed."_

_"He was behind the stabbing recently-awakened Reincarnate Charles Lee, correct?"_

_"Yes."_

_"First the stabbing, then the explosion, now a murder. Are the students at Columbia safe anymore? If someone like Vladimir Holmes could get into New York, then who else can?"_

Washington turned to his wife and she turned to him. Martha's eyes narrowed as she felt her phone buzz in her pocket, "If Bostane is dead, then who is next? Bostane didn't even do anything that bad compared to what he had the potential to do."

"Maybe that's why Holmes had him killed." Martha raised an eyebrow and Washington finished, "He didn't do everything they wanted him to do." 

* * *

 

Lafayette groaned and they hunched over as the dull pain from their wounds burst to life. They gritted their teeth and held a hand against their side, they could vaguely feel the bumps where the stitches were under the dressing of the bandages. 

"Yo, Laf," Hercules nearly fell on his face as he lunged to help his friend, "don't move too much. You're missing a spleen now, it's going to take a while for you to get up."

The pain medicine was making everything dull and hazy. Lafayette blinked a few times before finally lying back. There was a gap somewhere in their memory, they knew they had been with Peggy, they knew they were at a dance across from the science building, then it got dark. They knew they had been hurt, but it was unknown as to  _how_. "What happened?" 

"Someone blew up the science building," Hercules explained moving his chair closer to his friend's bedside, "you and Pegs were in the building over. The explosion blew in the glass from the windows and took out a portion of the wall. You managed to cover Peggy with your body when the wall came down on you two. Pegs only had a concussion and some lacerations, but other than that, they're fine." 

Lafayette relaxed when they realized their date mate was fine, "What happened to me?" 

"You low-key got crushed by the wall and cut up by the glass. But, the first responders and doctors both agreed that had you not covered Pegs, Peggy could have died."

"Well, damn." Lafayette whistled lowly, then they broke off laughing because for some reason it was just  _so funny_. "How long have I been out?" 

"About two days." The two turned to see John Laurens standing in the door, hood up over unruly curls and coffee in hand. He nodded at both Lafayette and Hercules before continuing on, "And in that time the school was shut down until the New Year for repairs-"

Lafayette's eyes snapped open and their face lost the sleepy smile, "What about my education? I'm paying too damn much for my schooling to just-"

"Teachers are ending their semesters now and are sending out emails of what they want to be done for 'finals'," John soothed, "I don't think the school could survive being sued on top of the shit they have to deal with now, you know? But, I just got an alert on my phone, you guys..." He swallowed roughly and entered the room fully before he finished, "Nate Bostane was found dead today and he admitted to framing Washington."

Hercules sat back and blinked, "Bostane? Really? He always seemed like such a nice guy." 

"How do you get the drop on Napoleon?" Lafayette grumbled to themself, "If someone cut off Bostane then that means they're going for the rest of their moles in the school."

John took a long drink of his coffee before growling, "It's November. No one is going to be back, no wait, we're not allowed back until January. Whoever did it is going to have a hell of a  wait or they're going to strike now." 

Hercules could only nod in agreement.

* * *

 

"You are aware that we have to be out of the building by next week, right?" Max Robes yawned, pushing his glasses up as he did so. Maria narrowed her eyes pointedly and he only held up his hands in a passive gesture, "Okay, okay, yeesh. What do you need me to do?" 

He swung around in his office chair, glasses catching the blue light of the computer screen. His basement 'office' was cramped and more a supply closet, but no one ever came in unless he wanted you to. No one ever did a thing about his set up because no one in faculty ever found out because all of the electronic complain tickets always ended up deleted. 

Maria raised an eyebrow, "Your roommate is dead. I want to know why."

"You want me to hack into the police and probably the FBI?" One pointed look at Robes sent him into work, fingers skittering across the keyboard as code glowed to life, "Okay, I can do that. But, I don't see why you care. Nate practically admitted to illegal activity and he is now a tragic hero because he was killed for one bullshit confession."

"You're talking like you know things." 

He didn't look at her, he just tapped his foot in a response, "Don't get me wrong, Nate was a good guy to me, but I knew the bullshit he was up to since day one. He wouldn't come home until late, he would be jumpy. I just didn't think it would get him killed. So what he framed Washington? Everyone knew it was bullshit from the beginning. So what he dealt out 'shrooms, ecstasy, and weed? No one ever called him out."

"You knew about Washington?" 

"I'm not an idiot. The administration knew he was innocent but they couldn't ignore the claim. They just played it out." Max snorted, his usually kind voice twisted into a sneer as he worked, "Trust me, I know what they did. It was quite unvirtuous if you ask me." 

"I didn't," Maria growled lowly, not caring whether he heard her, "But, can you tell me what the police have on Nate's murder?" 

He moved his chair so that she could see the screen of the NYPD inventory log. Maria swallowed at how quickly he got it done. He had told Eliza he had limits, but what were they exactly if he could do this? His nail tapped against the screen, "They recovered his wallet and ID, but not his phone. Well, that means that good ol' Nate had something interesting on there." 

Maria swallowed, "What about the body?"

"Cause of Death: four stab wounds to the chest with seventeen minutes before death," Max blinked, "Well, damn, someone wanted him to suffer for awhile. But, it says he was beaten beat beforehand. So, I'm going to say Holmes's people beat the shit out of him, then stabbed Vladimir him himself, before having them dump the body in the alley he was found."

"Jesus Christ."

Max sat back, drumming his fingers on the desk beside the keyboard, "I just wonder what he did. Odds have Holmes had him moving drugs but, what's the point with discrediting Washington?"

Maria blinked and leaned down towards him, "They were setting him up. It all makes sense now."

"They were setting up for Sam. We still have no idea who the hell did that."

"I guess we'll have to find that out later," Maria nodded sternly but she stood straight in an instant, "Any luck on James Reynolds?" 

"Nah. None. Zip. Nadda. He's effectively disappeared." Max shrugged, "But if I find him I'll tell you. After looking at his finances, I can definitely tell you he doesn't have any funds by himself to stay underground for too long. I'm going to say that he'll show up before the school year's end."

"I have a feeling you're right."

"So, while we wait for the download of the NYPD files," Max chuckled, "Want to watch The Last Jedi? I hacked Disney for it."

"Oh, hell yes."

* * *

Theo looked at her father and let out a long sigh, "My parents from this life are coming to pick me up tomorrow. I know, we don't even get a Thanksgiving or a Christmas together, but trust me, Dad, it could be a lot worse."

"How so?" Aaron replied, shoulders sagging when he remembered that Theo lived over in Ohio and he wouldn't be able to see her for almost two months, "We just found each other again and now we have to get separated?" 

"At least my parents aren't making me switch schools. There are four people from my Intro to Economics class who are being forced to switch to different universities. My parents are letting me stay here and that means that I get to come back." 

Aaron shrugged and laughed, but it was a sad sound and Theo just sighed and hugged her father tight. Aaron inhaled sharply and after a few moments, he finally said, "I just want this to be over. I'm tired of people getting hurt." 

"Bostane is really screwing with you, isn't he?" 

"We knew him and then he was murdered. Doesn't that screw with you?" 

"To be fair this whole year has been really screwed up and we aren't even halfway through it. What's next? A natural disaster?" 

"I wouldn't be surprised at this point." 

* * *

 

James caught Thomas by the arm and dragged him into their dorm before the taller male could do a single thing. Once he was free, Thomas whirled around and growled, "What the hell, James? I was going to class to pick up my graded work." His expression softened the second he saw the way his friend fidgeted and how James's skin had taken on a pale complexion. "James, what's wrong?" 

"Bostane is dead." 

"I know."

"But, he left me this." 

Thomas looked down at the envelope James was holding out and he could practically feel his stomach drop. He swallowed and couldn't mistake the curled caligraphy of  _To Mr. James Madison_ written on the front of the envelope. Thomas cleared his throat, "Have you opened it?" 

"No." James said, voice high with his panic, "Are you crazy? What if the cops want this? What if this is some crazy manifesto? What if it has anthrax?"

"I highly doubt he would lace a damn letter with anthrax," Thomas offered with a small smile, "biochem major be damned. But, what do you think it is? Did you guys have some secret romance I should know about?" 

"God no. We've hardly talked. Only at one of his parties." James stammered out, "He was in charge of shots."

"Is that the night of 'James Madison Does a Shot for Every Amendment'?"

"Yes," James answered but then he replied, "but, that's not the point. I have no idea why he would send me this. Or what would even be in it."

"Let's open it."

James nodded, set his jaw, and then tore it open. He pulled out the letter with shaking hands and Thomas held onto his hands to steady them. The letter was handwritten in Nate's telltale calligraphy and it was long. James swallowed and began to read:

_"If you have received this letter then by this time my fourth earthly career has been terminated. My name is Nathan William Bostane and I know myself to be Napoleon Bonaparte of France, but this is beside the point. I have written this to tell you, James Madison, secrets that I have kept. You are probably asking yourself why I am writing to you, but my reason is simple. We aren't close and your friendships spread far. I ask that you tell these secrets and care not about the damage it does to my person. That is my final wish within this life._

_First and foremost, I was the one who poisoned Samuel Shepherd. I used the Columbia Science Department and my position within it to gain Strychnine before putting it into Samuel's drink during his chemistry class that I was a TA in. Why? I did this because Vladimir Holmes wanted results of his payments for my tuition. He specified something disastrous that no one could miss. So I chose this. Samuel Shepherd was the best target because I knew his RA was that of Sally Hemings. I knew she had medical training and he would have a chance to survive it._

_Secondly, I helped Ronaldo James, or more recently known as James Reynolds, escape from campus after his stabbing of Charles Lee. He had stabbed Charles and in his panic, I helped him escape campus by leading him away from campus before the paramedics arrived. I handed him over to Valdimir Holmes's men before returning to campus. I have no idea what happened to the man, but I can ensure you that he is either dead or wishing that he was._

_Thirdly, The person who bombed the Science Building was one of Vladimir Holmes's men by the name of Cyrus Porter, or more commonly known as George Eacker. This was done because Vladimir Holmes realized my position may have been compromised. He was going to try and frame me for this, so this why I write this letter. I did not do this, the other things yes, but not this._

_Lastly, I apologize for all the pain that has been caused by me this year. But, my reasoning for complying with these acts is because Holmes has paid for my entire life. My schooling, hospital bills, my journey to this country. If I was to go against him I would die or lose everything. He has eyes and ears everywhere and if someone betrayed him, he would hurt them in the worst way possible. I apologize for not being a stronger man this time around, I apologize for my lack of strength. I apologize wholly and irrevocably._

_And this is where I end it. My life has ended and my story as well. So, I ask you, James, to make sure this letter is seen. Make sure people know I did this but not because I wanted to. Please, let people know that there are more people like me, more people who are under his thumb._

_Tell my story because I will never have the chance._

_Nathan Bostane."_

Thomas blinked in shock the second James finished reading the letter. "My god, oh my god."

"I-I-I don't know where to even begin," James said, his voice wet with the realization that he held in his hands the final words of a man, "I didn't know it was this bad. George told us about his dad's knowledge about the cartel Vladimir runs, but I didn't know it was close." 

"We have to copy this," Thomas said. "The school doesn't close for two more days. We can copy this as many times as we need and plaster the city with this. People need to know."

James grabbed Thomas by the collar in an instant, "Listen to me, Thomas,  _listen to me_. Bostane is dead. If we plaster this then we're going to die too."

"People need to know."

"What good does it do if we're dead? We can't see this through."

"It doesn't matter," Thomas growled, "We'd be back in fifty years anyway. James, this is bigger than us. We can save lives and we can end this. We can make amends for mistakes in our first lives."

James swallowed and said nothing.

* * *

Lin clasped the candle tightly in his hands. The flame was golden and wild in the cold air and he let out a sigh. His breath was a cloud of fog and Sam just hooked their arms together. Sam hissed lowly, "Those damn reporters need to show some respect." 

Lin leaned his head against Sam's hair and sighed, "It's the memorial for Nate Bostane. He poisoned you, helped James Reynolds escape and other things. Of course, the media is going to be all over this. They want to see the student body's reaction before we all leave. This whole shitshow was practically his fault." 

"No one is singing."

"What do you mean?" 

"It's a vigil and no one is singing or saying anything. We're all just gathered around the quad with candles. It's not very respectful is it?"

He had to agree. Lin nodded and after a moment his shoulders sagged, "Sam, what the hell is happening here?"

"I don't know, Lin, but we're here. We're facing it together."

Lin swallowed and nuzzled into his boyfriend's hair before finally letting out a sigh, "No, that's not what I mean. Haven't you noticed that it all circulates around me? You get hurt, then Charles, then Bostane our  _neighbor_ confesses to it. What's next? George getting hurt? Me?" Lin swallowed, he always had an odd way of being right and he could feel the tendrils of panic grasping at him.

Sam frowned and his glasses glinted in the firelight, "I don't know, Lin. But, I'll die before I let anything happen to you." He kissed his boyfriend on the cheek before saying, "I'm serious." And then, just like that, Sam pivoted the two of them so that they faced the crowd that was practically watching them like hawks. Everyone wanted to know how the victims felt, everyone, wanted to know what they would do. 

Sam opened his mouth.

The crowd leaned forward eagerly.

And he started to sing. 

_"When I find myself in times of trouble, Mother Mary comes to me,"_

Lin blinked and after a moment, he joined in, 

_"Speaking words of wisdom, let it be."_

And one by one, the crowd began to sing. In all the fear and pain, in all the grief and anger, they began to sing. They began to mourn for a life they didn't know too well, a life gone too quickly,

_"_ _And when the broken hearted people living in the world agree, there will be an answer, let it be."_

And in that moment, they came together and sang, and everything was peaceful. And in that moment, there was only singing. But, there was a knowledge it would end eventually because as Lin looked around at the crowd in wonder, his eyes laid on that of Vladimir Holmes. And suddenly, with the sound of singing around him, everything wasn't alright.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you guys so much for the support! (And who wouldn't have a Beatles song played at their funeral? I mean really.) There is going to be a time skip to the next chapter so the next chapter is going to start out with the New Year so it's a time skip of about two months. 
> 
> Thanks again for all the lovely comments and kudos! I couldn't do this without you guys!

**Author's Note:**

> Also, feel free to leave a comment on what you guys think you want to see. Character or relationship wise! 
> 
> (anyone catch Napoleon and Robespierre in here??)


End file.
